


One Hand On The Trigger, The Other Hand In Mine

by Black_Lotus



Series: Perpetual [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: 1969 Mustang, A lot - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Assault, Blow Jobs, Child Death, Cover Art, Death, Death Threats, Dogs, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Falling In Love, Flashbacks, Friends to Lovers, German Language, I'm Treating This As Though Alexandria Doesn't Exist, Johnny Cash - Freeform, Library Sex, Light daddy kink, MREs, Mentions of Suicide, Music, Musical References, Negan (Walking Dead) Swears, Negan Being Negan (Walking Dead), Negan Has Met His Match, Oral Sex, Panic Room, Possessive Negan (Walking Dead), Rammstein - Freeform, Rough Oral Sex, Russian character, Sarcasm, Sex, Sexy Negan (Walking Dead), Shower Sex, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Smut, Song Lyrics, Tailcoat, Theft, Vaginal Fingering, Violence, Walker Herd, Zombie Apocalypse, mentions of abuse, physical violence, russian language, saviours - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-26 12:06:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 29
Words: 81,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14401809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Lotus/pseuds/Black_Lotus
Summary: Yulia wasn't afraid of him, she didn't cower, she didn't beg, she didn't cry. She was strong and brave, matched his sarcasm perfectly and stood her ground. Negan's men were just that, his soldiers, his underlings, but this girl, as defiant as she could be might have been his only chance for a friend... and maybe another wife. Or perhaps they were too alike to co-exist.





	1. Motherfucking Bingo!

**Author's Note:**

> The title for this comes from Cupid Caries A Gun by Marilyn Manson.

  


 

Simon stood before his boss nervously rocking back and forth on his feet as he tried desperately not to fidget with his hands. Simon was a confident man, a smarter man than most people gave him credit for, but Negan had this way of reducing him to a scared seven year old whenever he was angry. He'd known it wasn't a good idea to bring that bitch back with them, she'd killed his men and Simon had known she'd be trouble. 

Negan should have thrown her in a cell and broken her if he wanted a pet, not provided her a room in the administration section with the Lieutenants, Negan's wives and the man himself. In Simon's mind the boss was just asking for problems, give them an inch and they'll take a mile and all that. Yeah, Yulia was sexy as fuck and clearly knew how to handle herself but just moving her on in as though she were an old friend was stupid. Of course there was no way in hell Simon could have said that to the Saviour leader without death being Negan's immediate response. The moustached man sighed internally, three days — three fucking days — was all it had taken for Negan's new pet Russian to escape The Sanctuary, she'd taken food, ammo and Simon was pretty sure several maps they'd marked cashes off on were gone as well. As Negan's second in command it fell to him to inform the bat wielding leader. Simon was royally fucked.

“You wanna run that one by me again.” It clearly wasn't a question, Negan's glare was hard and dark.

“... The girl, Lee, Yulia, whatever her name is, she em, she's gone along with some food and a fair amount of ammo.” Simon awkwardly cleared his throat. “No one saw her leave, heard anything, nothing, just gone.” 

Simon jumped when Negan smashed Lucille down on his desk angrily, the moustached man tried to stay calm, any sudden movements would have probably result his head being caved in. 

“Simon, get a fucking team out there and do it fucking quickly. I want that girl fucking found, and I want her fucking found now!” Negan fixed his right hand man with a glare. “Don't fucking fuck this up!” 

Simon had done his best to find Yulia for almost a week but he nor any of the other Saviours had been able to scrounge up a single scrap of information on where she'd fled too; this girl knew how to vanish. She'd not taken any of the vehicles, hadn't even tried to by the looks of things, but they'd not been able to track her either. Simon had sent Dwight out to personally scourer the Sanctuary fences and see where would have been best for her to escape unseen but even that hadn't lead to anything even remotely important. 

When week two rolled around Negan had put the fear of God into Simon and told him to 'hold down the fort', that was how the lead Savour found himself cruising down the highway with Lucille rested against the passenger seat. Hot sun rained down on him but he didn't care, he wanted to find the Russian, no one escaped the Sanctuary,  _no one._ Simon had been mightily surprised to hear Negan was going to go look himself but hadn't questioned it.  Hopefully he'd cool off and feel less head-smashy by the time he returned to the factory they all called home. 

 

~X~

 

Negan had been out in the field a few days and almost burnt through his supply of gas with nothing to show for it. He'd checked just about everywhere he could think of that the Russian could have possibly fled to, even gone back to the store where he and his men had first come across her. Nothing. Just gone like Simon had said. 

If it was possible the heat grew worse, sun raining down harshly to the point he'd been forced to shed his trademark leather jacket as he drove along the abandoned roads flanked by tall grass and thick trees. Every now and again he'd see a dead one wandering around aimlessly and as much as he'd have liked to mow it down Negan wanted to find Yulia more. Damn his fucking curiosity because Christ, did that girl have secrets. Secrets Negan wanted to know everything about, that and in his mind she was a walking weapon; who didn't want one of those on their side?  _Like Terminator but a sexy Russian,_ Negan chuckled to himself. 

The Saviour leader had maybe enough gas for one more day and to get back to the Sanctuary if he didn't do anything stupid so Negan headed down to a  Tanger Outlet mall that h ad been cleared out ages ago. There wasn't any reason to go down there in terms of scavenging but Lee was a crafty little sexpot and could have been anywhere, so where better than a place Negan's men weren't going to go? 

Negan let the dark car roll to a stop and grabbed his leather jacked, he threw it on before lovingly picking up Lucille and heading towards the mall. The place had been popular back in the day but now was nothing more than an abandoned wasteland of broken glass, peeling paint and dust. Cars lay dotted about the parking lot, their tires rusted and batteries dead, nothing more than scenery setting now; useless to Negan. Judging from the old, blackened blood splattered over the ground outside the main door of the outlet there had been a massacre at some point, sure enough a corpse came shuffling towards him from behind one of the cars. Negan sighed, h _ow many of these fucking dead shitheads are there?_ Strong arms swung Lucille as he had million times before and took half it's face off, but the bastard kept coming, its tattered sun dress just hung off it's rotted frame. Negan chuckled as it slipped and started to crawl towards him, he had to admire their determination, Lucille came crashing down onto the dead one's head once more before stomping down with his boot to finish it off. Squelch!

“Ahh, shit.” His right boot was utterly covered in brain goo and blood, he shook it almost violently to knock off as much as possible; the drops only adding to the stained ground. 

The bearded man stepped inside the mall and instantly a wave of stench hit him, warm rot that snared Negan's nostrils and plunged into his throat forcing him to gag. If Lee was here she'd gone fucking nose blind. The smell didn't get any better as he made his way through the building but nor did it get worse, just hung there like a loaded question in an attempt to choke the Saviour. 

“This is fucking pointless.” Negan grumbled to himself as he rested Lucille on his shoulder. “Ain't nothing here.” 

Days he'd been looking for the little hellcat, she was gone, and why the fuck did he care so goddamn much? Yes, Lee seemed to be a very capable fighter, would have made a bloody fantastic Saviour and maybe even managed to whip some of his other men into shape but her not being at the Sanctuary wasn't going to change anything. Negan would still be in charge, he'd still control everything, his men would still be working. Or maybe it was those bold green eyes- _shut the fuck up you pussy!_ Negan chastised himself. 

The man with hazel eyes stormed back out of the outlet mall and marched back to his car, _fuck this_ , Yulia was gone and him searching high and fucking low for her was only going to use up gas and make his men suspicious. With Lucille sat carefully in the passenger seat Negan took off back towards the Sanctuary, he'd yell at Simon for being a fucking idiot and letting Lee flee then carry on with his life. No big deal. Right? 

When he was just ten minutes out from the Sanctuary and a nice refreshing shower Negan slammed the brakes on and backed the car up about ten feet. He just sat there a moment looking up at the small street that led off to small housing estate. The Saviours hadn't ever really bothered with that area as it was so dilapidated even before the world went to shit, a very poor area half boarded up and falling apart. Still, it was somewhere new... and Negan was already there. That was how he justified continuing his search for the dark-haired Russian. 

“Might as well fucking check.”

With a huff the man with grey in his hair turned the steering wheel and cruised towards the knackered homes. As expected nothingness, just run down homes long abandoned and almost obscured by overgrown lawns. They looked eerie in the twilight that had started to descended; twilight didn't numb the heat at all though. Negan reached over to grab his water bottle from beside Lucille but chucked it at the dash when he found it empty; getting back to the Sanctuary was going to happen sooner rather than later. 

Negan sighed, this was fucking pointless, but just as he was about to one-eighty the car and head off to the Sanctuary he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. He leaned forwards over the wheel peering out the windsheild towards a tiny fleck of blue, a car. Not just any car, not like the trashed hunks of junk that had been in the outlet mall parking lot, this car was clearly in fully working order, a little dirty but that could be forgiven. Lee hadn't stolen a vehicle when she'd left but a working car that close to the Sanctuary, parked as though someone had wanted to hide it from sight. The whole thing was just suspicious so of course Negan went to investigate. He grabbed his darling Lucille and headed towards the house slowly, he kept low and aired on the side of caution, didn't want anyone blindsiding him because he'd gone in all guns blazing, he wasn't bloody Gavin! 

The front of the house was dark, boarded up and uninhabited just like the rest of its brothers but when he rounded to the car and the back door he realised it was quite the opposite.

“Motherfucking bingo!” 

There stood by the back door pulling a blade from rotted meat sack was just who he'd been looking for. Negan had found Yulia 'Lee' Stravinsky. 


	2. A Diplomatic Agreement

There she was not five feet away ripping her blade from a dead one's head like a total badass. Negan was pretty fucking sure he'd never seen anything sexier. She wiped her knife off on the corpse's tattered shirt and there was a gentleness to her movements, almost as though Lee were an elegant swan. The bearded man just stood there grinning at the way her leather pants hugged her perfect ass: and how the fuck was she wearing those in such heat?  
  
Negan took a single step forwards only for Lee to spin around and throw the blade at his face, only by the grace of God did it miss him, instead travailing past his left ear to embed itself in a nearby tree. Had she not almost killed him Negan would have been impressed.   
  
“Jesus motherfucking Christ woman! You almost took my fucking head off, you fucking crazy as shit bitch!” He yelled, hazel orbs glancing behind him at the knife.  
  
Lee didn't even seem phased, not that she'd almost killed him, not that he'd tracked her down, not a thing. If anything she seemed irritated.  
  
“My bad.” Muttered Yulia as she waltzed past him and grabbed her knife from the tree. “Hi, Negan.”   
  
The Saviour leader wasn't used to this, people all but ignoring him. Negan commanded a room the moment he walked in, demanded attention, he watched Lee calmly make her way back towards the door and just stared, she really didn't give a flying fuck that he'd found her. 

_Alright enough of this fuckary_, grumbled the older man's mind as he reached for his gun and aimed it directly at the Russian's head.

  
“Alright, put your shitting hands up and get in the fucking car.” He ordered in that silky baritone of his, hazel orbs firmly locked on her.  
  
Lee just looked at him with those big apple green eyes. “нет.” (No)  
  
“What the fuck do you mean, нет? I've got a fucking gun.”   
  
“Да (yes), I know, I don't care.”  
  
Negan's brow furrowed in confusion and watched as she just walked away into the house, she didn't try to flee or reach for the guns sat snugly in her thigh holsters. If anyone else had the balls to do that Negan would have Lucilled them on the goddamn spot but coming from Yulia it just made him chuckle as he followed her through the door and inside the house that she promptly locked and bolted. It was refreshing to have someone willing to stand up to him, actually made him respect her, Lee wasn't a pussy.   
   
“Why the fuck did you leave the Sanctuary, huh? I gave you a pretty sweet deal, nice room, food, water, the pleasure of working for yours truly.” He grinned as he rested Lucille softly on his shoulder and put his gun away.  
  
“Pleasure huh?” Negan didn't respond to that as she carried on locking down the house. “Look, I didn't want to be there, so I left. Now please go away, it's getting dark.”   
  
She slowly checked the barricades then made her way up to the bedroom, the whole time with Negan following her around like a puppy. The place had clearly been well fortified and if the supplies in the humble bedroom were anything to go by she'd been there a while, _right under my fucking nose._  
  
“You're not leaving are you?”  
  
“Not without you.”  
  
Lee sighed, the sun had only just set but still she stripped off her leather pants – which got a smug grin from Negan – and settled into the bed. Firm thighs the color of porcelain, perfect and unblemished, that shouldn't have been possible in the world they lived in but there she was a goddess amongst men. Negan felt an animalistic growl rumble though him as his hazel orbs trailed up her legs to her tiny waist and impressive chest contained within a tight black tank top. This was the sort of woman only seen in magazines, the exception to the rule that all models were airbrushed and fake. The only blemish on her otherwise milky body save a tiny circular scar on her forearm was a small tattoo of tiny dots in some kind of pattern. Negan opened his mouth to question the tattoo over her left scapula but Lee got there first.   
  
“You can stay until first light but then I want you gone, okay, Мудак?” (Asshole)  
  
“Yeah, I don't know what that means but I'm gonna go ahead and assume it's offensive. And what if I've changed your mind by morning?”  
  
“You won't.”  Fuck, he loved her stubbornness.  
  
Yes it was still early but Negan had endured a long day and so flopped down onto the bed beside Lee after shrugging off his leather jacket and resting Lucille lovingly by the wall.  
  
“Love this fuck you attitude but you're coming back to the Sanctuary with me. It'll be fucking easier if you just do what I bloody tell you.”   
  
“нет.” (No) Her accent caressed his ears.

  
In an instant Negan had Lee pinned to the bed, her wrists held down tightly. He could feel her chest pressed against his, better than any of his wives that was for fucking sure. _God you're sexy!_ Those stunning eyes, bold and unwavering, she could turn a gay man straight. With a rather impressive display of strength Lee bucked  Negan from her half-naked body and rolled onto her side giving him her back. 

  
“I'll say it in English for you. No!” There was hardly a pause. “Don't get me wrong, I like your operation, it's genius but I have another commitment. You can drag me back there if you want, lock me in a cell but you will not be able to hold me.” She sighed and pulled the covers up over her thin frame. “Goodnight, Negan.”   
  
The bearded man lay there for a moment staring up at the ceiling, sure he could force her back to the Sanctuary and lock her up but he wasn't stupid, he knew the raven haired beauty wouldn't break; too obdurate.    
  
Only when Yulia had just started to drift off into slumber did Negan speak, something she'd said just didn't sit right with him.   
  
“What do you mean 'another commitment'? You got some sort of to-do list or something?”  
  
“It doesn't matter.” Which clearly meant it did.  
  
Lee could feel his eyes on her, knew he wouldn't drop it. She sighed; which was slowly becoming an almost too common occurrence. She didn't turn to face him but Negan saw her shoulders fall, it was the first spark of emotion other than aloof indifference and sarcasm he'd seen from her. Negan rolled onto his side and propped himself up on an elbow, he resisted the urge to trace his calloused fingers over her hip but only just. _Maybe I'll make her one of my wives._ There was quiet for a long moment and only when  Negan thought he was going to have to ask again did Lee speak.   
  
“If after I tell you I hear one stupid smart ass comment, I will stab you in the face. Understand?”  
  
Negan chuckled. “Don't threaten me, darlin', but yeah fine.” 

Another pause hung between them.

“Before the world went to дерьмо (Shit) I had four brothers, it was just us and my father. My mother died when I was rather young and so did my eldest brother, Zhukov. It made my family closer, we worked together as well so we never really went more than an hour without speaking to one another. My father died just before the outbreak, I got angry, I went on a job and then the goddamn world fell. When I got home Vadim, my youngest brother, had... eaten most of my other little brother, Kirill. They'd both been shot, I assume that was Illya. I looked for him but all I found was a note telling me that it wasn't safe for him to stay and he'd meet me at the safe zone, there was a message on a wall not far from the safe zone that said the place had been overrun. I haven't seen him since. Illya isn't just my brother, he's my twin and he's all I have left in the world. He might be alive, he might be dead, I don't even care which anymore I just want to know what happened to him.”   
  
It's only then that Negan realised there was more to her than just a sexy as hell body, Lee may have been a badass but deep down all she wanted was her brother. Negan could respect that. The not knowing was killing her. If Lucille were still- _no shut the fuck up Negan!_ He chastised himself.

"How do you know the message was from him? Could have been fucking anyone trying to warn others."

"It was written in Russian." Well that answered that question, Negan couldn't really argue with that.

Lee curled up on her side listening to nothing but the sounds of the dead wandering around outside. She didn't cry, he assumed she'd got no more tears to shed.  
  
“Okay, here's what's going to happen.” Lee looked at him and raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Don't give me that fucking look, you'll do as you're told because this benefits you too. Yulia, you're coming back to the Sanctuary with me and I am going to do what I originally planned before you ran off like a creeper in the night, you'll be one of my Lieutenants and in return I'll help you find your brother. Have you seen the amount of men I fucking have? I'll have them checking out every group for miles, if anyone knows anything about Illya- is that how you pronounce it?”   
  
Lee nodded. “Да.” (Yes)  
  
“If anyone knows anything about Illya I'll soon fucking know about it.”   
  
She finally rolled over to face him giving the Saviour leader a fantastic view down her top. She knew this was her best option, more people meant more eyes and ears, could cover more ground, but Lee still didn't see what Negan got out of all this.  
  
“Seems this is better for me than you, you said it benefits both of us. What the hell does a пизда (Cunt) like you get out of this?”   
  
“Darlin' I get a sexy Russian that is fucking competent as fuck and someone I know won't take shit. You move quick, silent, and from the Tomb Raider shit you got going on I'm pretty motherfucking sure you'll do me proud.”   
  
Yulia didn't like this but it was all for Illya. “Fine," she said with a huff, "I'll go with you. But stop calling me 'darlin'.”   
  
Negan grinned that snarky smile. He liked that he didn't have to force her back, where was the fun in that? He liked that she argued with him, Negan had grown used to people just obeying and while that was useful it was boring. Yulia had fight in her, spirit, and it made him respect her. Negan felt admiration for her and that was a very uncommon occurrence for the bat wielding Saviour, most people were pussies but this girl, she was something else. 


	3. Battle Of Sarcasm

Negan's eyes fluttered open and he frowned instantly, deep and irritated, the sun lit the sky and shone through the viridescent trees straight through the curtain-less window in an attempt to blind him. His left hand came up to block out some of the vicious light and then he felt it, the warmth pressed against him. Looking down Negan found Lee snuggled into his side with her head rested on his strong chest, she had an arm thrown over his stomach and had hooked a leg over him as well. During the night he must have pulled her closer because his other arm was wrapped firmly around Lee keeping her there. Yulia looked so peaceful and the bearded man found himself frozen watching her. It had been so long since he'd woken up with anyone beside him let alone cuddled up to him, Negan never let his wives spend the night – just fucked them and kicked them out – and even if he had they'd rather have slept on the floor than at his side. 

Lee wasn't afraid of him and from the way her body snared his Negan thought that maybe, just maybe, she derived some comfort from his presence. He'd listened to every word she'd said the other night, about her brothers, she was lonely. He was a saviour, this girl didn't need saving he could see that clearly but maybe he could relieve some of her loneliness.  _ Fucks sake man! When did I go soft?  _

The Saviour leader ran a hand over his face harshly to wipe away sleep and stretched minutely, only enough to satisfy his muscles but not wake the Russian still gripped by slumber. Hazel orbs danced over her thin body, a little too thin in Negan's mind,  underfed, but no less stunning. _Jesus, I could bounce a_ _fucking_ _quarter off that ass._ He couldn't resist, just had to touch her. Negan reached out a single finger and softly traced a finger over her exposed thigh, a tiny circular pattern...  suddenly Lee's hand smacked down over his hand, the noise echoed around the room but Negan didn't care.

“Morning, darlin'.” He smirked when Lee finally released his hand.

“I told you to stop calling me that.”

The raven-haired beauty rolled away from the Saviour and stretched almost obscenely, Negan watched every delectable second with bold hazel orbs. Yulia knew he watched her of course but she didn't care, instead she stood and pulled a pair of dark wash jeans, a black t-shirt and clean underwear from a bag beside the bed then headed over to the bathroom to dress. 

“Damn that's a fine fucking ass.”

“Just 'fine'?” She asked smugly before closing the door.

 _This is gonna be fun,_ grinned Negan.  He'd keep his word and help Lee find her brother; A, another person with her skills would be one hell of a boon to the Saviours. B, he'd promised. And C, if Illya was dead – and Negan highly suspected he was – the news would devastate Yulia so Negan would have to do everything he could to keep her on side. 

After a second or two the bright sun light got too blinding for him and forced himself out of bed, he ran large hands through his slightly greasy hair before reaching for his leather jacket; he felt naked without it and fuck did he make the jacket look good.

“Morning, Lucille. How's my babygirl today huh?” He picked the bat up and swung her gently through the air. “Ready to kill something, Sweetheart?” Of course the baseball bat didn't respond but Negan wasn't deterred.

While Lee was in the bathroom the dark-haired man took the opportunity to look around her room, the walls were painted green and other than the bed there wasn't a single piece of furniture, basically a void. There was, however,  several crates stacked up underneath the window containing food, and God knew what else. The boxes of ammunition she'd stolen from the Sanctuary lay slumped in a duffel bag as well as what looked to be maps but that wasn't what had his attention, the coat  rested lovingly over the top did. This coat had been placed with almost as much love as when Negan set Lucille down, the coat itself was a jet black tail coat with a brocade pattern. Setting Lucille on the bed he reached for it, it was clean and obviously loved far more than anything else in the room,  well cared for save for a tiny rip along the right sleeve. Negan held it up to the light for closer inspection, he wasn't an expert by any means but he could tell it had been expensive. 

“Put it down!” Lee ordered, Negan hadn't heard her leave the bathroom. 

The bearded man smiled over his shoulder at her,  _does everything she wears show off her tits,_ then turned and handed over the  tailcoat, Lee slipped it on instantly and went to retrieve her guns and holsters. 

“You love that thing don't you? It really completes that 'I'll fucking kill you' vibe you got going.”

“It was a present from my father. You put me in your truck so fast that I couldn't go back and get it.” 

“You broke out of my Sanctuary for a coat?” He asked incredulously, eyebrow raised.

“Wouldn't you for that bat?” She gestured to Lucille who still lay on the bed. He couldn't argue with that. Negan opened his mouth but Lee beat him to it. “I said I'd go back to that factory with you, be your Lieutenant like you wanted. I'm only doing it because you can help me find Illya, understood?” 

Negan tilted his head and all but fucking chass éd over to her, his eyes darkened as he reached up and twirled a strand of raven hair around his index finger. 

“I told you not to threaten me, darlin', let's add giving me orders to the fucking list shall we?” 

If he wasn't mistaken Lee's green orbs grew hungry.

“And I told you not to call me darling.”

Negan burst out laughing and took a few steps back, shit the girl knew how to make him laugh.  


“You just don't fucking know when to fucking shut your mouth do you? Is it gonna be some stupid as fuck game to see how fucking far your can fucking push me? Christ woman, you might actually have more balls than I do and my fucking balls are goddamn motherfucking gigantic.” 

“Noted.” She stated flatly and by God did Negan like that, if she wanted to play that game he'd fucking play it with her. “Now, you  су́кин сын, shall we pack my supplies and move to my beautiful new home in the country?” 

This girl was on a whole other level of sarcasm. “There's no way in hell I'm leaving this much stuff laying about especially when most of is fucking _mine_! And what the fuck are you saying? You keep switching languages and frankly it's confusing as shit, what the fuck does  soo... sook-” 

“су́кин сын.” She corrected while strapping her thigh holsters to her firm thighs. “It means 'son of a bitch'.” 

“Fucking awesome! Shit, I gotta remember that.”

Negan had mastered swearing to the full extent of the English language so why the fuck not expand his horizons to Russian as well? He could have some serious fun with it.

 

~X~

 

Almost the instant that Negan got Lee back to the Sanctuary he had her sent to Doctor Carson, he wanted to make sure she was healthy; at least as healthy as one could be in the apocalypse. She'd been told she needed more fresh fruit but then again so did everyone else so it was kind of a moot point. Turned out her blood type was O Negative, which Negan had been pleased about since it was his as well, there weren't actually that many at the Sanctuary and because they could only receive blood from someone with the same blood type, the more the merrier.  


Negan wanted to keep Yulia as happy as possible until he'd managed to show her just how much good work his Saviours and he did, how many people they protected and saved from certain death. If he could make her want to stay he'd not need to keep an eye on her so much. Since he now knew about her beloved tail coat, ' _it was a gift from my father'_ , gave him an idea. The Saviour leader made quick work of telling Lee all about Margaret  as he lead her through corridors and up staircases, an old woman who'd owned her own dress shop before the world fell. Anyone could have repaired the small rip bit Margaret would have done it best, she repaired just about every scrap of clothing in the building.

When he came to a stop outside the room he'd provided Lee with several days before she raised an eyebrow and seemed genuinely surprised.

“What, not the cells? I'd have though you'd want to teach me a lesson. Break me.”

Negan laughed. “Nah, don't need to break you, I like you just the way you are.” He wrinkled his nose in an overly cute way, annoyingly Lee had to admit it was adorable. “And anyway, you've already learnt your lesson. You run from me and I'll fucking find you.”

“So you're a GPS, a big red arrow pointing straight at the Russian.”

That classic smirk crossed his face again. “That's me, cupcake. Fucking huge!”

“Don't call me that.” She told him sharply but it didn't quite have the same affect when she had a smirk on her cupids bow lips.

One day soon this young woman was going to push to far and force his hand, he'd have to slap her back over the line. Snarky sarcasm he could live with, fucking enjoyed even, but as soon as she started getting bitchy and disobedient Negan would have to shut that shit down. 

“Don't ya worry, I'll find a nickname for you.” 

“Or you could just use the one I have, it's Lee. Alternately you could call me Yulia, the world is your oyster.” 

Negan leaned against the door frame with Lucille hanging from his gloved hand. “Not a chance, you need something perfect... that's just  _mine._ ”

“Possessive much?” There was a momentary pause where Lee pushed the door open. “I'm not one of your wives, Negan.” 

“You could be.” The bearded man wiggled his eyebrows teasingly but Lee didn't look impressed.

There it was again that sexy and deadly grin of his, he knew she found him attractive but she wasn't just going to roll over and take it like his wives. If Negan wanted to fuck this girl he'd have to step up his game. 

“нет. (No) The most you get is staring at my ass.” 

Negan chuckled at that. “Well, I just have to savour every second. 

“You do that. Bye Negan.” 

With that Yulia shut the grey door leaving Negan rested against the vacant wall just outside.  _Christ, she's a female me._ Negan loved it. 

“I'll have Dwighty-boy bring you some food, okay Pumpkin?” He called through the door.

“ _Pumpkin is worse than cupcake_!” She yelled back which  earnt a snort from Negan; a sound he was glad no one was around to hear. 

Damn he needed to bang that girl and fucking soon. He couldn't stand there all day waiting for her to leave again like some kind of creepy stalker so instead Negan hefted Lucille up onto his shoulder and made his way down to the other end of the hallway and out the door towards the large room he'd turned into a conference room. Sure enough Simon and Dwight stood just outside waiting for their Machiavellian, leather wrapped boss. 

“Well, well, fucking well, look at you two being all prompt and shit.” Negan arched his back. 

“What do you need, Negan?” Asked Simon as he unfolded his arms. 

“Straight to business, I fucking like it! Okay, Dwight have a plate of something sent to Yulia's room and make goddamn-motherfucking sure she gets some fresh fruit, we still got any of those oranges left?” 

Dwight shrugged. “Not very many.”

“Did you just fucking shrug at me?!” Negan surged forwards, only a single step but it was enough to scare Dwight shitless. “Make fucking sure she gets one, it's Doc Carson's and more fucking importantly _my_ goddamn orders.”

Dwight didn't need to be told twice, he just nodded and legged it off down the grey hallways. Simon – being far less stupid than the blonde scarface – pushed the conference room door open and stepped aside for Negan and Lucille. 

“We can pick some more oranges and shit up from The Kingdom.” He said more to himself than Simon as he crashed down into the chair at the head of the dark table.

Simon perched on the edge of the table with one foot on a chair, sun shone in through the large and rather dirty square factory windows to dimly light the room. For a moment Simon just looked at Negan, the man had been gone for days searching for that bloody Russian and instead of Lucilling her or dragging her back by the hair and locking her in a cell, Negan had just given her the room back. Jesus Christ, sometimes Simon had no fucking clue what went on in the Saviour's head. Sure, Lee could be useful to them but she needed to learn the hierarchy and that her shit had consequences. 

“Simon, do we have any Russians here?” The older man asked snapping Simon out of his thoughts. 

“No, Negan. Well, none other than the girl. I'd have noticed.” 

The bearded man nodded to himself. “That's what I thought. Have some of the men check around anyway. I want a Russian man called Illya found. I want the boys asking around the other communities too.”

“Of course. But why are you suddenly collecting Russians? Is it like get six and get a free coffee or something?”

Negan smirked. “I could go for coffee right about now, but no, it's more like a creepy game of bingo.” A split second passed. “Just do it, Simon!” The moustached man nodded in understanding. “Anything interesting happen while I was gone?”

“Well, some of the workers got it into the fucking heads the could do as they pleased but I handled it. They won't make that mistake again.”

“Great. Tell Regina and Gavin there’s a meeting tomorrow at noon, I got some shit they should know.”

“Can do.” Simon flashed a smile and rose to his feet with his hands on his hips.

“Good boy.” Negan suddenly clapped his hands together with force, the noise echoed off the walls. If he'd moved any faster Simon would have jumped. “Now, I need to fuck something, you need me – and you'd better fucking not – I'll be with my wives... probably Sherry.”

Negan didn't wait for anything else to me said, he simply rose to his full height and reached for his barbed wire wrapped bat.

Simon watched the man leave with a puzzled expression coating his face.

“Somethin' is different about him, he's changed.” 


	4. Small Luxuries

When Negan left Lee she quickly indulged in a shower, warm and soothing. She'd needed that, to wash away the grime and stress. Running water was a luxury she'd not had in a very long time. Yulia had been surprised to find Negan had gotten her things to her room before she got there herself and when she got out the shower and dried off she went rooting around to unpack. If Negan was so determined to keep her there she may as well settle in. Clothes went in the dresser and it was only then she realised how little clothing she actually had; a handful of pairs of underwear, a few t-shirts, a pair of jeans and her trademark leather pants and coat. That was it, nothing else, pretty depressing really. 

After a while of rooting around in her stuff – minus the food, ammo and maps she'd taken – the raven-haired beauty came across a black cardboard box that wasn't hers, she'd not seen it before and raised an eyebrow. Lee sat down on the bed and cautiously opened the box, she snorted when she saw what was inside. Black lingerie, all lace and sexy, Lee wasn't surprised of course. In the old world the lingerie would have cost a fortune, she could tell that just from a single glance at it. Negan had given the lingerie to her just so he could imagine her in them;  _ suppose I should be flattered.  _ Yulia couldn't resist, she had to try them on. 

“People can say what they want about Negan but it has to be said he has a fantastic eye for breast size.” It fit like a glove, she probably should have been concerned as to why he had such easy access to such items. 

At the age of fifteen Lee had gone from an A cup to a D in almost the blink of an eye, and that hadn't been the end of it. As expected it had drawn attention really rather quickly, probably why Negan had been so drawn to her in the beginning. 

Just as she was about to grab some clean clothes there was a knock at the door and Dwight came in before she could utter a single word.

“Wow!” His eyes were locked on her curves and a plate of food hung loosely from his hand. 

Lee just glared at the blonde until he snapped back to the world and looked away to give her some semblance of privacy. She was still pissed at Dwight for the crap he'd pulled outside the boutique where she'd first met Negan and the Saviours so of course she wanted to fuck with him. Lee padded over to the scarred man in just the stunning lingerie with her hair still damp and took the plate with the most innocent and sexy expression she could muster. 

“Thank you, Dwight. Such a good boy.”

She slipped a hand up his chest and pushed slowly moving him out of the room then slammed the door in his face. _Perfect!_ Dwight knew if Negan ever found out he'd seen Lee in the lingerie before he had the man would cave his head in. 

The Russian covered up her new underwear with her usual leather pants and a simple tank top as well as her beloved tailcoat Lee inspected the meal Negan had sent; some chips, an orange and a sandwich that looked to have ham and lettuce in it. Basic and uninteresting but the most food she'd had in a long time. She'd been going to sit down at the desk but soon changed her mind and settled on the bed to eat instead, one leg dangling off the side; military boots tied tightly. 

The bread was fresh and the chips crisp, more importantly there was an orange, Lee couldn't remember when she'd last had fresh fruit. Sweet, bitter and perfect unlike the horrid vile beats she'd come across in the last few years. They'd lured her in with a tantalising color but inside there'd been nothing but dried juices and seeds. Oh how she'd missed the little things in life, oranges and showers had been taken for granted but no longer. 

When she'd finished and the orange peel had been gathered up on the plate Lee left her room and headed for the kitchens down on the ground floor. She set her plate on top of a stack in the process of being washed by a young Asian man in an overly large – and fairly dirty – sweatshirt marked with a large yellow F. A few feet away stood a redhead drying the dishes, his had a large S, Lee hadn't a clue what they meant and didn't care enough to ask. There was something wrong though and that had her asking. 

“Are you alright?” She asked the F marked worker.

He seemed surprised she'd spoken to him as he continued to shuffle about on his feet. A few awkward moments passed by and then finally the man spoke, hands still dunked in the sink.

“... I'm fine.”

“Rule one. Don't lie to me, it won't work.” She deadpanned. “Now, what is wrong?”

Another pause. “I know we need to work hard but I have been standing since one o'clock this morning.” Lee was well aware it had gone noon. “I can't feel my legs.” 

The Russian supposed there were worse things to happen in the world they lived in but she could see his point, that and it was so fucking easy to fix. Lee glanced over to the man with red hair drying the plates and trying to mind his own business.

“Come here.” She ordered softly and the redhead obeyed quickly. She turned back to the man at the sink. “Name?”

“... Em, Evan. Evan Cheung.”

“And you?” She asked the other.

“Connor Doyle.” He answered with a slight Irish accent.

Lee grabbed a chair from the corner of the room and planted it down by the drainer, she then took the towel from Connor and chucked it at Evan.

“Swapping over. Evan dries and Connor washes. Fucking easy, a pig could do it.” They looked hesitant but still the dark-haired man sat. “If anyone questions you being sat on your ass tell them to take it up with Lee.”

 _Christ,_ thought Lee _ , how does Negan get anything fucking done if his worker are to scared to sit down for five goddamn minutes?  _ With that fuckary dealt with Yulia headed to Margaret. Some of Negan's Saviours shot her glances as she made her way down the long halls as they tried to decipher why their boss had taken to her so quickly... well, that or just staring at her chest. 

Yulia knocked on the door and entered after a soft 'come in' had been uttered, there she found Margaret right where Negan had said she'd be. The woman was older than she'd expected, somewhere around seventy but looked surprisingly spry for her age. She wore a pair of thick black glasses and had long grey hair in a loose braid. She had a plaid shirt in on her knee clearly in the middle of mending it.

“What can I do for you, my dear?” Margaret asked politely with a smile on her lips.

“Negan told me you could repair my coat.” 

Carefully Lee slipped the black tailcoat off and held it out to the old woman, Margaret set aside the shirt and threat to accept the coat. 

“So you're the Russian everyone is talking about.” Said the old woman while looking over Lee's tailcoat. 

“What can I say? I'm memorable in this post-apocalyptic shithole.” She told Margaret frankly, her accent prominent. 

Margaret laughed. “Oh dearie, the novelty of your accent wore off the day after you were here the first time. People are curious about you now because Negan himself went to find you.” Her aged eyes continued to rake over the rip in Lee's coat sleeve. 

“Isn't it obvious why? Negan likes to collect things he finds interesting, like a Magpie with shiny things. He'll get bored soon enough.” 

Margaret smiled up at the younger woman. “I don't know about that honey, he didn't even pay that much attention to those wives of his when he first got them.”

There was a pause where Lee went very, very quiet and stared at the grey ground before snapping her head back up.

“Can we just get back to my coat?” Though phrased as one it clearly wasn't a request.

Margaret didn't answer, just pushed her glasses further up her nose and peered closer at the coat, she ran her calloused fingers over the brocade pattern. Lee had been so angry when she'd caught the black fabric on a fence, it had been such a stupid accident, she'd been planning on fixing it after finding a coat for when the winter came that night Negan had found her, clearly that had never happened. 

“This is beautiful work.” She told the Russian after a moment or two. “I haven't seen anything this intricate since I had my shop. I can patch it up easily for you. I need to finish these shirts but I can have it done in an hour or so. Where did you get it?”

“My father gave it to me.” Lee answered simply.

“How sweet.”

“Да (yes), I'll be back in thirty minutes.” Lee turned to leave but Margaret's voice stopped her. 

“I said an hour or so, dear.”

“And I said thirty minutes. You told me yourself it would be easy to patch up so please just do it, I don't like being away from my coat.”

Maybe Lee sounded like a bitch but she didn't care, that coat was the only thing she had of her family, her father, and she'd never be away from it again if she had her way. She loved the tailcoat like Negan loved Lucille, they knew to everyone else it was just a bat or a scrap of fabric but to them it was everything. 

Reluctantly Margaret nodded, it looked as though on some level she understood. Lee couldn't stand there all day so she left Margaret intent on going back to her room to finish unpacking her stuff, unfortunately for Lee she only got halfway up the stairs before she ran into Simon and his moustache.

“So you really are back then.” Simon rested his hands on his hips, his face coated in a scary big smile. “Not run off.”

“Negan and I have a deal which requires my presence here.” Lee wasn't going to tell Simon more than he needed to know, she didn't trust him, there was something off about the man. “Problem?” 

“Nah, nice to have something sexy to look at.” The balding man smirked.

“So glad I could be of help, God forbid you only had ugly women to gawk at.”

Simon laughed with irritation and raked a large hand over his face.

“I like you,” _That's a lie._ “you've got spunk. I like the whole deadpan thing you got going.” There was a hardly there pause. “Listen, I have a run to The Kingdom to go on at the end of the week, I'll have to okay it with the big man but I want you to come with. They've got a guy up there who calls himself _King Ezekiel._ I wanna hear what sarcastic crap you can come up with for him.”

“King? Has he got a jester and everything? But fine, I'll be your travel buddy.”

Simon just grinned at her.


	5. Mini Lieutenants

The next afternoon Negan called his Lieutenants – Simon, Gavin and Regina – into a meeting in the room Lee had mentally dubbed 'the conference room' along with her and Dwight. A reason hadn't been given but Negan didn't need to explain himself to anyone if he didn't want to, he gave orders he didn't follow them. 

“What the fuck is she doing here?”

Gavin demanded when the Russian followed Negan in to the room and stood at his side. Simon seemed almost insulted by her choice of spot to stand, almost as though she'd subconsciously made a play for second-in-command status. 

Negan frowned. “ _She_ Gavin has a fucking name, use it.” The bearded man cleared his throat. “Yulia is here because I've come to realise that the lot of you-” He gestured to each person sat at the table with Lucille. “-haven't been keeping proper control of your outposts and surrounding areas. Simon, bless his little moustache, has come across a new place for an outpost, and I'm having it cleaned out and fortified. I got to thinking why the fuck not bring in a total badass to run said fucking outpost and  keep an eye on you sorry shits.” 

“She ran away once, Negan. She can't be trusted.” Regina pointed out, she didn't seem annoyed like Gavin and Simon or even Dwight did more cautious.

“Security was so lax that I didn't have to 'run' I took a leisurely goddamn stroll.” Lee snapped before she'd even realised she'd opened her mouth. 

Negan roared with laughed and after an awkward moment Simon joined in. 

“Can you believe this? You just keep that attitude coming, don't cha Angel?”

Lee looked down at the leather clad man. “Better than pumpkin but still нет (no).”

“I'll get there.” Negan shrugged. 

The others clearly didn't have a clue what the two of them were talking about and were seemingly too cowardly to ask. Gavin continued to stare up at Yulia with  arrogant eyes that she could almost feel pulling at her, the urge to pull the black tailcoat tight around her body was strong but Lee wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd gotten to her. 

It took a few moments for Negan to turn his attention back to his men, but when he did he was straight back to business. 

“Lee is one of my Lieutenants now just like you lot. You don't like it fucking tough. You can take it up with the head of my motherfucking complaint department, Lucille. Now, what shit have you got to tell me?” 

Yulia listened to the conversation intently, she'd spent most of her life absorbing information quickly and filtering out the bollocks and Negan's Lieutenant meeting was no different. They spoke of several different communities any of which could have been home to Illya or known where he was, he was why she'd agreed to stay at the Sanctuary with Negan after all; her brother. Lee had told Negan she didn't care if her brother was alive or dead she just wanted answers but that wasn't true, she knew Illya was alive, she'd have felt if he wasn't. Lee had never been one to read into the whole twins feel each other's pain crap but growing up they'd always just  _known_ certain things.  Since her eldest brother had died as a child she and Illya had been the eldest, they'd been a team, they'd helped their father raise their little brothers and now Illya was the only thing she had left other than a coat. 

When the meeting ended Negan looked up at her with a grin. 

“Lee, Sweety pie-” She cut him off instantly. 

“нет.” (No)

“Fair enough, even I knew that one was fucking bad. Babylicious?” His hazel orbs twinkled with humour. 

“I will stab you.”

That grin just grew bigger. Simon raised a surprised eyebrow, if he'd said that to Negan he'd have been dead already or at the very least have a few broken bones. Negan though wasn't surprised by her response in the least, he was enjoying their little game. 

“I'll get there.” He promised. “Anyway, darlin', you're one of my Lieutenants now so put a small team together, any of my men you want. I'll decide who goes to the outpost once it's up and running.” 

“From what I've seen most of your men are idiots.”

Negan's face changed, eyes grew that little bit darker and his smile faded, she'd started to push too far and Lee knew it. 

“Then pick the least fucking twat-ish ones. Just fucking do it!” He ordered. 

“You said I could have the next outpost.” Said Dwight, he'd been so quiet throughout the whole meeting that she'd almost forgotten he was there. 

“Yeah I know, but I was being a bit fucking over zealous. Deal with it.”

Lee chimed in. “I'll need schematics.”

“Fucking done, my lil' muffin.” He agreed quickly.

“Christ, just stop.” She shook her head softly as a smirk crossed her face. With that she straightened her tailcoat that had been loving repaired by Margaret and left the room. 

“And just like that class is dis-fucking-missed.”

Negan remain long enough for any of them to say another word, he'd had enough of Gavin's face for one day. He just grabbed Lucille and abandoned the room. 

 

~X~

 

The raven-haired Russian made her way down to the mess hall, she liked to people watch – always had – and seeing as Negan's men interacted with friends and family down there she decided it would be the best place to choose which men she wanted. Every one of the high ups at The Sanctuary had their own team of go-to Saviours. Negan had his Lieutenants and Dwight, Simon had some dude named Kent and so on. 

Lee sat down at the back of the huge room at an unoccupied table and just watched as the Saviour's went about their day. Thinking about it she almost felt as though it were like before the world fell when she and her family planned a job. Understand the skills and personalities required, observe the available options and recruit accordingly. It hadn't taken very long to decide she wanted the muscular man with short greying hair over on the far side of the room, he laughed and joked with his friends but his back remained straight and his feet rested in such a way that suggested he was ready to shoot up and dart off at a moments notice. She could used a prepared man. She also wanted the man sat directly beside him, this one was a little younger and African American with a strong frame and shaved head, almost a buzzcut. He was more relaxed than the older man he sat next to and shorter too but only just. In the time she'd been watching them he'd hardly spoken however seemed to listen intently and was obviously an integral part of their group of friends. 

Yulia sat there for almost an hour watching the room, thankfully the two men didn't leave, she came across a few other possibilities but none of them stood out to her quite like the two Saviors she'd already chosen. 

She nearly slammed Evan's head into the metal table when he popped out of fucking nowhere.

“су́кин сын !” (Son of a bitch!) She breathed out a sigh. “Do we need a bell on you or something, Сука?” (Bitch) 

“Sorry, sorry.” He apologised softly as he pushed the sleeves of his too big sweatshirt marked with an F up. “I just... I wanted to say thank you for what you did yesterday. It was kind of you, so, thanks. Connor is grateful as well.”

There was an almost too long pause in which the spiky haired man searched for something to say while Lee just looked at him, eventually he settled on the Ruger SR9 strapped snugly to her left thigh. 

“That engraving work is beautiful, so detailed.” She'd had it made to match the brocade pattern of her coat. “Perfect weight for you too.”

That got the Russian's attention. “You sound like you know what you're talking about.”

“Hmm? Oh yeah, before all this-” He gestured to the world around them. “- I was a shooting range instructor. So was Connor, that's why we're best friends.”

Lee raised an eyebrow. “Does anyone else know about this?”

Evan shook his head. “No.”

Lee grinned which got a somewhat scared expression from the worker, he was older than Lee but only just. She rose to her feet.

“Go and get Connor, I don't give a дерьмо (Shit) what he's doing, you bring him here now.” Evan didn't move. “Now!”

Evan scampered quickly off towards the kitchens while Lee made quick work of tightening up the holster holing her CZ 75B to her thigh. A sudden wolf whistle had her head snapping up to find Gavin stood there with a shit eating grin on his face.  She ignored him, didn't have time for his crap. Lee headed off towards the two men she'd had her apple green eyes on, as soon as she got to the table their conversation died, they knew exactly who she was; Negan's new Russian Lieutenant. 

“What are your names?” She asked, her accent thick.

It was the black man who spoke first, he wasn't scared of her and Lee liked that.

“Koby.” 

She turned her attention to the slightly older man next to him, early forties maybe.

“Hal Gillen.” 

Suddenly another of their group piped up. “I'm Tom-”

“Да, (yes) nobody cares.” Yulia didn't take her eyes from Hal and Koby. “You two come with me.” 

“Why?” Asked Hal.

“Because I'm your new boss. Come on.”

Lee didn't wait around for more chit-chat she just walked off, thankfully they were smart enough to stay quiet and follow her only to be joined by two workers a moment later. There were raised eyebrows but no one spoke, just continued to follow the tailcoat wearing Russian through the Sanctuary halls.  She lead them straight up to the admiration section and came to a halt outside the room occupied by Negan's wives; she'd seen him go in there earlier. 

“Wait here.” Yulia ordered softly.

She didn't bother knocking, just pushed the door open and walked in and sure enough there was Negan lounging on the couch with Frankie kissing at his neck while Tanya painted her nails beside him. Amber stood by the bar making herself a drink and frankly Lee got the instant urge to punch the blonde. 

“Right where I thought I'd find you.” She told him as she came to a stop before the Saviour leader.

In an instant Negan pushed Frankie away and grinned up at Yulia, he rested his arms over the back of the couch.

“You should stay in here, I'll get you a little black dress and everything.” There was that schoolboy smile again, she loved that smile.

“нет.” (No) He was paying more attention to her chest than her what she was saying. “You told me to choose a small team, consider it done.” Lee gestured out the open door to the four men.

“Gavin won't be happy you've taken Hal from him but yeah sure, I don't give a fuck.” 

“And why the fuck are you telling me? Just set them to work.”

Suddenly Amber laughed, a stupid, over the top laugh.

“The Communist needs it spelling out for her. Dumb bitch!”

It was like ten-thirty in the bloody morning, how in fuck was she drunk already? Something about this woman pissed her off and Lee reacted before she knew what she was doing. She ripped out her knife and threw it, it slammed into the wall missing Amber by only an inch and then she launched at her. Negan couldn't help but be reminded of when he'd found her and started to wonder if she'd not intended to kill him,  _that's why she missed, she just wanted me to know how easily she could kill me. Cleaver little girl._ Lee pinned Amber to the wall and pulled her knife free so as she could press it to the blonde's throat. Fear kept the wife quiet.

“ _Don't_ piss me off!”

Negan hadn't moved at all, actually he seemed to be enjoying the show, but Frankie and Tanya had recoiled. The wives had long ago grown used to Negan's volatile nature but Lee was a hole new case; they desperately hoped he didn't make her a new wife. 

A few seconds that felt like hours went by where Lee just let the knowledge sink in that she could kill Amber in the blink of an eye but Negan suddenly clapped his hands together and drew their attention. 

“Girls, as sexy as a pussy fight would be I'm gonna have to go ahead and shut this shit down. Amber, fuck off.”

Awkwardly she wriggled free of Lee's grasp and vacated the room as quick as she could, drink still in hand. Lee put her knife away and went back to stand before Negan. 

“I'd prefer if my wives remained living, Necrophilia isn't really my thing.” He took a breath. “Now, why the fuck are you in here? You chose some of my men, whoopty fuckin' doo. Koby's a awesome choice though.” 

Out in the hall Koby smiled, Negan had just about made his day. 

 

“I know, but two of them are workers. I'm guessing I need your okay to make them Saviours.” She stated flatly.

“What? Workers?”

Lee nodded and glanced at the door. “Get your skinny asses in here!”

A moment later Evan and Connor filed into the room and bowed before Negan with lowered heads. The man with hazel eyes looked them over seemingly unimpressed and unable to figure out why she'd choose them. 

“Why the fuck would you want shithead and fuckface?” _Oh, that's what the letters mean._ “What you gonna do, chuck the lanky shits at the deadites?” 

“нет (no), It's because they have firearm experience, quite a lot of it. Clearly whoever put them through intake was a twat.” 

“Well fancy fucking that.”

Without warning Negan leaned forwards just enough to grab Lee's hand and pull her down onto his lap so as she straddled him, his wives still sat either side of him but Negan couldn't have cared less. Lee didn't fight him, just looked into those stunning hazel orbs with a smile. His hands rested on her hips.

“We need our workers working, not playing soldier. However, if you ask me real fucking nice I might let you have Tweedledee and Tweedledumbass for your sausage fest group.”

Lee grinned, smirked really. If it wasn't clear he wanted to fuck her before this was a pretty big clue. She bit her lip innocently.

“I won't try to kill your wives anymore.”

“What else ya got?” Frankie and Tanya looked horrified at his reaction.

She knew that wasn't what he wanted to hear but she liked the little game of flirting they had going. The raven-haired beauty put on her best Daddy's little girl face and leaned in as though to kiss him but at the last second tilted her head so she could instead whisper in his ear.

“Please Daddy?”

Negan twitched with want and growled in the back of his throat, she smelt like coconut and Negan had to force himself not to bury his nose in her hair. 

“That's more fucking like it! Yeah, you can have 'em.”

 

Negan's hands slipped up Lee's flanks teasingly. “Shit, you're sexy as hell. Might have to play with you.”

Lee just smirked at him, she had to admit he was pretty sexy himself.

“Sorry, I have things to do. You can stare at my ass on the way out though if you want.”

Yulia blew a kiss to Negan once she'd stood and headed out the room, there was a whistle, teasing and jovial rather than the one he used to insight fear. It just made Lee chuckle as she closed the door leaving Negan alone with his wives. 

“Hal, Koby,” she began once out in the hallway “go back to doing whatever the fuck it is you do when you're not working for me. Evan and Connor, come with me.” 

“Yes, boss.” Responded Evan quickly which had Lee stopping in her tracks.

“You're going to be my favourite, aren't you, Evan?” 

 


	6. Good Things Come To Those Who Have A Blow Torch

Lee didn't really have anything to do since Negan had only just started bringing the new outpost up to scratch, she'd memorised the blueprints he'd provided her with pretty quickly and discovered her new domain was to be an old  elementary school. She liked it, simple layout and easily dependable once the place had been fortified properly. As a result of the wait Negan had gotten her to show Simon how to build up the Sanctuary's defences because if she'd gotten out so easily it meant that someone could get in. Simon had set the workers off on their little task quick enough which had once again left her with nothing to do.

When she'd gotten Evan and Connor cleaned up and armed she'd approached Negan and asked him to let her go out on a few scavenging runs, the Sanctuary could always do with more supplies and she needed to see how her new right hand men were in a fight... that and she needed something to fucking do, she was going stir crazy. Of course he'd agreed and she'd headed off before he'd even been able to say 'bye'. Lee had never been one to just sit around and do nothing.

The promise Negan made to find Illya was honoured, he made sure all his Lieutenants searched. The Russian man wasn't in the Sanctuary as they'd suspected but if he were anything like his sister then the man could have been surviving anywhere with ease. The world was a big place but that wouldn't stop Negan. 

Two weeks or so after Negan brought Yulia back to the Sanctuary  she and her 'mini Lieutenants', as Negan had taken to calling them, came across a small outlet mall. Of course Negan had a few trucks sent over along with some men to clear it out but he'd decided to tag along just to see what her leadership skills were like. He watched as the green-eyed Russian had people load up everything even remotely useful, her voice never wavered. She was strong and didn't take shit. 

As the two of them did a final once over to make sure the Saviours hadn't missed anything he asked her. 

“Have any of them been giving you shit?”

“Nothing I can't handle. You have a couple of racists that think they're the world's authority but they're so low ranking they hardly register.” She told him easily while looking through a book store, Negan didn't know why she'd double-check in there but Lee had made a bee-line for the place. 

Lee bent over to search the bottom shelf which gave the bearded man a fantastic view of her ass in those tight jeans, he smirked to himself. She pulled a book free and then turned to face him, Lucille was up on his shoulder and his hazel orbs twinkled with mischief.

“Nice ass.”

“Спасибо (Thank you), I got it on sale.”

Negan laughed, a true laugh, and followed her out of the book store. Lee flipped through the tome and Negan couldn't help but notice he had once again ended up following her around like a puppy. He was in charge! He lead the Saviours! So why the fuck was he trailing after her as though he were at her beck and goddamn call? Yulia worked for him not the other way around! 

Lee pushed the door to the parking lot open, her hand held up to shield her from the sun, and found the trucks fully loaded and everyone waiting to move out.

“Who are you!?” Negan demanded from behind her which actually made Lee jump. 

“Negan!” Every single one of his men shouted then dropped to their knees, all except for Lee who just stood there with her book and watched.

He'd given her a pass before, let her get away with shit no one else would but this was too fucking much. She worked for him, she obeyed him. If she was a Saviour then she was Negan. He stepped up and got in her face making sure she knew he was serious, Lucille a menacing reminder of what happened to people who defied him. 

“And you? Who the fuck are you little girl?” His voice was deep and dominant even more so than the first night they met.

Lee didn't answer, just stared him down while the Saviour's watched eagerly. Hal looked as though he wanted to step in and help but he knew better.

“Well?” Negan demanded. “Who. Are. You?” 

She knew what he wanted her to say, it would have been so easy but still she refused and Lee wasn't even entirely sure why. Maybe it was her incessant urge to see how far she could push the older man. He just wanted one word from her but Lee stayed quiet.

Suddenly Negan grabbed her by the throat, his grip tight but only enough to act as a warning not enough to choke her. She couldn't deny the spark of pleasure that shot through her thin frame. 

“I asked you who the fuck you are, you don't answer me and we're gonna have a real fucking problem.”

She wouldn't be his little killing machine, wouldn't be his toy. Then it happened. Negan went to slam her against a nearby wall and Lee just reacted, she spun out of his grip, grabbed his arm with her left hand and pulled her to him so she could grab his neck and in one smooth motion threw him over her to the ground. The only sound was Lucille rolling away towards the stunned Saviours. 

“Bitch!”

She'd not meant to hurt him, she'd just reacted. Negan launched at her and pinned her beneath him with a firm grip but he was still stunned and Lee knew she needed to calm him down before she really did go too far. She managed to flip them and pin him down using all her weight. There was anger in his eyes but Yulia tried to ignore it. 

The raven-haired beauty leaned down so as only he would be able to hear her and whispered softly into his ear.

“I'm your friend not your lacky or your plaything.” 

This was either going to calm him as she'd intended or he was really going to lose his shit when it backfired on her. A moment passed in silence where the Saviour just stood there gawking and Lee didn't know if she'd just made the worst mistake of her life or not. Then Negan started laughing and forced himself up with Lee still in his lap. 

“Fuck, you've got a set on you, ain't ya?!” Lee still wasn't sure if he'd lost it or not. “And of course you're not a plaything.” His eyes raked over her. “I'd like to play with you though." There was a pause. "I'll only say this once darlin', I may appreciate that fuck you attitude and all the sarcasm but you obey me, I'm in-fucking-charge and you'd do well to do as I say when I say, especially in front of my men.” 

“Understood.” She nodded, Lee knew she'd gotten dangerously close to the line. Playing that game with Negan was like playing with fire; fun and cosy until you set yourself ablaze. 

“Good. You ever pull that shit with me again and you'll be in the cells.”

Negan suddenly slapped her ass, a silent order to stand up and she obeyed, even held out a hand to help him to his feet. The Saviours didn't know what to make of the scene before them, she'd brought Negan back from homicidal and they'd never seen that before. 

“What the fuck are you sorry sacks of shit looking at? Get in the fucking trucks!”

They all raced to obey fearing that Negan's anger would turn on them. Almost awkwardly Lee retrieved Lucille from the floor and passed her back to Negan who brushed non-existent specks of dust from her. 

“You know,” he began as they made their way to the truck Arat was driving. “you should apologise to Lucille, knocking her all over the place, it's not fucking decent.” 

“I'm sorry, Lucille.”

Negan raised an eyebrow, he'd not expected her to actually do it, most people just though Lucille was a bat and nothing more, they'd have only said sorry to her had they been forced but Lee did it readily.  _ Why the fuck will she say sorry to Lucille but not reply Negan when I ask her who the fuck she is? Crazy bitch is a mystery.  _

On the drive back to the Sanctuary Negan set his mind to finding some way of putting the fear of God into his Saviour. No doubt some would think him weak for letting Lee get away with such insubordination, he couldn't have them getting ideas above their stations. 

 

~X~

 

After a month or so the elementary school outpost had been brought up to code and Negan had sent over the men he'd promised. It had been stocked and cleaned out, the gym had been turned into a warehouse storage of sorts and most of the west side class rooms had been kitted out as barracks. Unfortunately the auditorium roof had long ago caved in, looked like water damage, so the whole thing had been blocked off rather than them trying to fix it, would have taken too long and been pretty pointless. The building itself was almost L shaped with the main entrance nestled in the corner, made it simple for the place to be guarded even with only a few men on watch. Some of the rooms remained unoccupied but Lee was sure she would soon find a use for them, maybe get herself some cells like at the Sanctuary. 

The school was all one level save for a small corner of the building that lead up to a teacher's lounge and office space. Again drawing on Negan as her inspiration she decided to use each of the small offices as separate rooms for Evan, Hal, Koby and Connor, they were her Lieutenants after all, the deserved some special treatment. While the room marked 'Principal' Lee had snapped up for herself. 

She'd not been sure about the whole outpost and being a Lieutenant thing but she'd gotten a pretty sweet set up and frankly with all the man she had at her disposal now meant there was an army looking for her twin brother. 

 

~X~

 

Negan grinned as Lee stood before him in her office at Lincoln – so named for it being the Abraham Lincoln Elementary School – he'd commandeered her desk for himself while she informed him of how things had been going in the week she'd been running the outpost. Lucille rested comfortably against the large desk his feet rested upon. 

“... there is a cluster of houses not too far from here.” She told him, her accent thick. “Some are only frames, it was a new development but others have cars outside. They were clearly lived in, I'm having Hal and Koby take a team out to take a look around.” 

“Well, how about we go too? Get some nice fresh air and see what we can see. Like a date.” That might well have been the first sentence she'd heard from him that hadn't got the word fuck in it.

“Like a date.” She repeated more to herself than anyone else. “Don't you mean like two homicidally grumpy nut jobs on a date?” 

“Not a nut job, sexbomb.” 

She noted he'd not said anything about homicidally grump. 

“You're really not going to stop with the nicknames are you?” Negan shook his head and smirked. 

It hadn't taken twenty minutes to get their shit packed and set off to the new development. Hal, Koby and a few other men were ahead of them while Negan drove Lee in the car he'd come over from the Sanctuary in. Their destination was maybe a thirty minute drive from Lincoln so Lee soon found herself just staring out the open passenger window at the trees they passed. 

“What were your brother's called again?” He suddenly asked out of the blue which had the green eyes angel's head snapping to him.

“What? Why do you care?” She questioned.

“Oh come on,” Hazel orbs never left the road. “I'm just trying to get to know you better and shit. I know we're looking for the twin, Illya, but what about the others. You said your Mom and big bro died when you were a kid right?” 

Over the months they'd known one another Negan had just spontaneously asked random personal questions, favourite movie, favourite food, that sort of shit, he'd never asked about her family though, not since the night he'd found her. 

“Yulia, tell me something. I get you wanna be miss fucking mysterious but you got to give me something. What were your family like? Hey, if it makes you feel any fucking better I'll share first. I'm an only child.” 

“Да (yes), that was pretty easy to figure the fuck out.” She knew he wasn't going to let this go. “But fine.” Lee let her head fall back against the head rest. “My mother was American that's why we moved here.” 

“What was her name?” Negan interjected sounding as though he actually cared. 

“Lily. Her name was Lily. She and my father had always wanted a big family so they made quick work of it. They had Zhukov-”

“That's a seriously strange fucking name even for Russians.” He cut her off.

“He was named for Georgy Zhukov, my father admired him and his service. My mother hated Georgy so Zhukov it was.” She explained simply, her accent seemed to get stronger as she spoke and opened up about herself.

“Oh yeah, because that's better.”

“Do you want to know this дерьмо (shit) or not?” Negan just nodded. “Next was obviously Illya and me, then Kirill and little Vadim. Vadim was a surprise.” She breathed out a laugh. “Everything was fine, one big happy family and all that хуйня́ (bullshit) until it wasn't. Zhukov died when I was four he had some sort of heart defect, no one knew until it was too late.” 

“Shit, I'm sorry, sweetheart.” Lee either didn't hear his comment or just ignored it, her eyes stared out the window again, memories flashing across her face in painful bursts. He rested a hand on her knee, nothing sexual just a comfort. “Go on.”

She was silent for a long moment and then finally carried on.

“I guess she couldn't take it because a few months later my Mother killed herself.”

“Jesus Christ, woman?! No fucking wonder you're the way you are. What sort of a mom does that when she's got little kids at home? Fuck!”

“She was in pain, I get that. And Zhukov was her favourite.”

“What did your old man do?” He asked.

“He became overly protective, Vadim was just a baby so me and Illya had to help take care of him.” She turned to look at him, any normal person would have had tears in their eyes but Negan suspected Lee had long ago cried herself dry. “You should be grateful you don't have siblings, sometimes my brothers were a nightmare.” Yulia sighed. “Anything else you want to know?” 

Negan shook his head, they were almost there, he could see the roofs peeking out through the trees. 

“Not right now, we're almost there and I think you just lay some pretty heavy shit on the table.” 

_ Fuck, I need to digest that shit, how does she just roll with the motherfucking punches? _

Lee was thankful he didn't carry on his questions, and even more thankful that they turned into the new development. She needed to get out of the car and focus on something else for a while.

Hal and Koby hopped out the front of the truck and made their way to the back to let the others out, they all went straight to work scouting the area for walkers while the secondary Lieutenants headed to Lee. 

“Boss, you okay?” Asked Koby with a sense of concern, they'd taken to the Russian pretty quickly and it was plane to see how protective of her Hal had become. 

Yulia nodded. “ Да (yes), I'm fine, Спасибо (thank you).” 

No one was quite sure why Lee flipped back and forth between English and Russian, they could understand the whole yes and no thing but sometimes she was just confusing. However, once people had spent enough time with her they started to figure out what the hell she was on about. 

“Have the men fan out, I want everything we can use in this truck as fast as possible. You two can handle that, right?”

“Sure thing, boss.” Smiled Koby. 

“Good, Negan and I will start from the over there.” She pointed to a house off to their left, a big expensive looking thing. “We'll meet in the middle. Hal you're with us.” 

“Okay.” Agreed the taller man, his Southern twang evident.

Negan stepped inside the house first with Lucille raised and ready to swing if needed. He whistled, those two imposing notes guaranteed to get anyone's attention. Nothing happened so Negan whistled again, still nothing, not a single deadite bastard. 

“Think we're good.”

They went in, still cautious and started to look around. Lee wasn't even through the master bedroom door before she'd furrowed her brow and started to look around in puzzlement.

“Something is not right here.”

Negan chuckled. “The place ain't haunted, Yulia.” 

A squeak came from downstairs followed by Hal's voice calling up the stairs.

“We got a jackpot down here boss! Pantry is full of tins.”

Lee didn't respond just carried on looking around the bedroom in a confused manor. Negan couldn't see anything wrong with the place, it was just a goddamn bedroom; still, she seemed pretty fixated on the place. 

“It's just a room, Lee, we could always use it for what it was intended and get some fucking done.” 

He grabbed her hips and pulled the Russian flush against his chest, she just shook her head.

“нет (no), never on that dusty excuse for a bed.” 

She easily slipped away from his grasp and rounded the bed so she stood between the window the overlooked the street and the bed itself. Negan watched as she paced back and forth through the tiny space almost as though she were on a tightrope, he just stood there confused. Hal came up the stairs to tell her something but he fell silent and ended up standing beside Negan with the exact same expression on his face. 

Suddenly a grin erupted on her face. “Oh hell, Да!” (yes)

“Okay so you figured something out, wonderful. You gonna tell me what the fuck that little nugget of information is?”

Lee grabbed him by the arms and pulled him over to where she stood then pushed him back and forth like she had been a moment ago.

“You feel that underfoot?”

“Em, no.”

“The floorboards are sloped.” Actually now he knew what he was looking for he could feel it. 

“Maybe it's damp?” Suggested Hal.

“Damp would cause dipping and there's no sign of any water damage to the floor itself. The floorboards are sloped because there is one hell of a weight on them. I told you something was wrong as soon as I got in here, it's because the room isn't big enough.” 

Lee started to rummage around in the beside draw and Negan actually liked how excited she looked. He still wasn't entirely sure what she was getting at but it was sure as shit fun to watch. 

“There.” She pointed to a small button inside the draw, a grin on her face. This was Lee's element.

Finally the penny dropped for Negan who stared at the wall in disbelief. “Are you telling me there's a motherfucking panic room behind there?” Lee nodded. “That's fucking awesome!” Negan nor any of his men would have ever noticed that, just Lee, just his talented little Russian. “You think Jodie Foster is in there?” 

“That movie was full on inaccuracies and fuckary.” She turned her attention to Hal. “Hal, go get me a sledgehammer and bring Koby.” 

Hal nodded then charged off to do as ordered.

“You think you're getting in there with a sledgehammer?” Negan didn't sound convinced. 

“I need it to knock down the wall so I can see the mechanisms.”

It didn't take long for Hal to return with Koby and the sledgehammer she'd asked for. Lee had them move the bed out the way and then held out the sledgehammer to Negan. 

“Would you like to do the honours?”

“Fuck yeah!” Lucille was tossed down onto the bed and Negan started smashing at the wall. 

When there was plasterboard all over the floor and the walls of the metal panic room had been revealed the three men watched with eager anticipation as Lee crammed her head into the space and started to look at the lock mechanisms keeping the door closed. It took her almost two hours and a blowtorch – and fuck was Negan impressed by how prepared she was – but eventuality just when the leather clad man was about to call the whole thing off and call it pointless there was a click and she pulled the huge metal bars free of the door. 

The door rolled open now no more use than a saloon door and Negan grinned. That smile quickly faded when a dead one lunged out the panic room and floored Negan. 

“Holy shit!” Cried Koby as he reached for his gun but he wasn't needed. 

Lee brought Lucille down hard on the dead bastard's head smashing it to bits as though it were nothing more than a watermelon. The sound of wood splattering into the gooy mess echoed around the room, blood spray dotted the ceiling until there was nothing more of the walker to smash. With heavy breaths Lee reached out a hand to help the dark-haired man up. 

“I think she's been sated.” The Russian told him as she handed Lucille back. Negan's eyes grew hungry. 

“Thanks for killing Soloman Grundy down there. Idiot must have gotten bit and though the panic room would protect him, the dumb fuck.” 

Negan wiped as much of the blood from his leather jacket as he could with one of the bed sheets then peered into the panic room along with Lee. The place stank of rot but neither of them cared, they were too focused on the boxes marked MRE. Three quarters of the room were full of the things stacked up to the roof. Negan and Yulia just burst out laughing. 

“Shit girl, you Russian's just pay for yourselves don't ya!”

“I'm good.” She smirked.

“Damn fucking good.”

Koby and Hal set about moving the mass of boxes into the truck quickly, it was more food than any of them had seen in years and it never would have been found had it not been for Lee. Negan knew he'd made the right choice when he'd dragged her to the Sanctuary what felt like forever ago. 

Other than a fifty year old bottle of Scotch and a couple hundred boxes of smokes from what they assumed was an old guy with a life long habit, the new development hadn't offered up much. Negan had claimed the Scotch for himself then insisted all the MREs be taken straight to the Sanctuary which, to be honest, Yulia completely agreed with. 

As soon as they got back to the Sanctuary Negan had the MREs taken into the kitchens and went up the catwalk to make an announcement for all to hear. Simon on his right, Lee on his left holding Lucille; the left was fitting considering how sinister she could be. Negan looked down at his kneeling subjects with a smile. 

“So today I learnt something, something important. I learnt that sometimes what seems to be pointless is actually the most worth while thing in the world. You see when I was just about to give up this little lady, my darling Yulia-” he gestured to her “-fought on. And because of her you lot get to eat like Gods tonight. So how about we give her a fucking hand folks?” 

It clearly wasn't a request and everyone understood that. In a matter of seconds the they were all clapping, Lee didn't want them to but Negan was getting a point across. 


	7. Scotch

After Negan had given out the MREs all free of points Lee had eaten and gone straight to her room hoping for a good nights rest, she'd spent most of the day inside a wall so a comfy bed was the least she deserved. Lee slipped off her clothes and changed into an old tour shirt she'd had since her late teens brandished with 'Rammstein' and a pair of yellow sleep shorts. She got herself a glass of water from her bathroom – something she'd learnt was very rare, even the wives had to share the communal one down the hall – and set it down on the small side table. The room was basic but that was compared to the old world, in the new world is was luxurious. 

It had gone dark hours ago but other than that Lee had absolutely no idea what time it was. Late was the best description she had. Lee crawled into bed under the soft sheets, her head crashed down on the pillow her raven hair falling settled around her porcelain face as though it were an obsidian cloak.

Just as Yulia started to slip into slumber a knock came at the door, rhythmic and could have only been one person. Sure enough when she slipped out of bed and pulled the door open she found Negan minus Lucille and his leather jacket wiggling the bottle of Scotch at her with a grin. 

“Nightcap, my little marshmallow?”

“Конечно (Sure).” She loved that grin of his, so devilish, so handsome. “Seriously though, stop with the food based pet names.” 

Negan didn't speak just turned and made his way back down the hall to his room with Lee trailing after him in nothing but her tight tour shirt and little shorts. Once inside his large room he made quick work of pouring Lee a drink which she took graciously. 

She'd never been inside Negan's room before, his office sure but never his room, she doubted very many people had. It wasn't much bigger than hers which actually came as a surprise but looked far more like an old world bedroom than her own did, this room looked lived it, like someone cared about it. To her immediate left of the door was a large four poster bed made up in slate colored sheets each with a side table topped with a lamp that provided an orange glow to the dark room. While over to her right – a part from a creepy gazelle mounted on the wall - by the windows was a big leather couch facing a coffee table and two light colored armchairs. The man had even got a fucking pot plant. This was Negan's private little place to hide away from the Saviours and she could see why. 

A squeak drew her attention and she saw the bearded man pushing the far window by the bookshelf open awkwardly. He grabbed the bottle of Scotch and his glass then climbed out onto the fire escape. 

“Come on, Yulia.” He called through the open window and of course she followed along with her own glass. 

The night air was cool and refreshing, it worked wonders to wake Lee up again. Glancing up she saw the stars and smiled and sat down beside Negan on the fire escape. 

“Like the stars?” He questioned then took a sip of Scotch. “Never understood all the fucking hype myself.”

“My family and I worked in the shadows more often than not, somebody always wanted something stealing, but my father was always happiest then. He had this thing about constellations, said they were the only paintings we couldn't steal.” Negan smirked at that. “It's partly why I have my tattoo.” 

Suddenly the memory of the night he'd found her in that house flashed across his mind, he'd see that tattoo before. She downed her drink.

“You mean those dots are a constellation?”

Lee nodded. “It's Leo Minor, the lesser or smaller lion.” She turned and pushed her Rammstein top off her shoulder so Negan could see the thin black lines and dots over her scapula. “Father used to call me his little lion, apparently I was fierce even as a baby. He called Illya his bigger lion as a joke so he has Leo on his forearm.” 

“Neat.” Said Negan as he refilled their glasses. “I'm covered in the fuckers, some mean shit others don't. Nothing like yours. That you're only one?” 

Lee smirked at him and shook her head, moonlight bouncing off her porcelain face, it lit up her apple green eyes and made them look almost supernatural. _Christ she's beautiful!_

“I have two others.” Without warning Lee pulled up the left side of her shirt so he could see a calligraphy style writing over her ribs. “'Man's greatest fear is chaos', it's a Marilyn Manson quote.” The top fell back down to cover her thin frame. “This is the other.”

She thrust her leg out towards him and sure enough there on the inside of her right ankle was a second tattoo, this time a cat head wearing a top hat.

“The fuck is that? I kinda get the quote but what's up with the cat?” He loosely gestured to the tattoo.

Lee chuckled. “In Russian there are several criminal tattoos with deep and usually complicated meanings. Stars, dragons, Lenin, that sort of thing. This one means I'm a thief and I'm good at what I do.”

The pair spoke about unimportant things and randomness for a time, Negan cracked jokes and Yulia rolled her eyes.  They sipped the rich amber liquid and lamented about their past lives, Negan gave little away but he was more than eager to hear about Lee's. 

“... and we walked out the front door.”

Negan erupted into laughter, hazel orbs sparkled with mischief. “With the whole thing shoved down his pants?”

“The whole painting.” She confirmed as she reached for the bottle. “Kirill was making kickstand jokes for weeks.”

“I bet he fucking was.” Negan took the bottle back. “Seriously though, what the fuck were you people? Mob?” 

“Why does everyone thing if you're a Russian criminal you're part of the mob?”  Lee didn't seem offended  more bemused. “My family and I...  _ procured _ certain items for, shall we say, less than sa vioury characters.  It was a rather lucrative business.” 

“My money was on mob.” Was it like Ocean's Twelve or-” She cut him off with a snort. 

“That  дерьмо (shit)?  Нет (no). ” Lee shook her head. “It's not all seventy-three point plans and fake noses. Usually we just conned our way in or disabled the alarms and worked out guard rotation. Sorry, but real life wasn't like Hollywood.  Shame, George Clooney was sexy as fuck.” 

“Slut.”

“Man whore.”

When the aged Scotch had been drained dry Negan found himself tipsy and shook his head as though throwing the feeling away.

“Shit, it's been a while since I've drunk that much in one ago.” Lee looked completely unaffected. “You don't feel a thing do ya?”

“I'm Russian, we can hold our drink.”

There was a dip in the conversation then where she noticed Negan's hungry hazel eyes on her body, her short sleeved Rammstein shirt and  tiny little yellow shorts that showed off her long pale legs.  His tongue ran over his lip while Lee watched his chest rise and fall that little bit faster. The raven-haired could almost feel his eye caress her body. 

“It's because you can't have me, isn't it?” She asked forcing Negan's head to snap up. “Why you want me so much. Once you do you'll be bored and go back to your wives. How many are there now? Four? Five?” 

The bearded man in the white t-shirt sighed and suddenly went very, very serious which actually surprised Lee; she'd never seen that before. Anger, sarcasm, yes but never utter seriousness.

“ At first yeah, I've never had a Russian before and fuck you are sexy as hell... but now?” Negan set the empty bottle down. “Okay, if I'm being truthful for a sec-” 

“Minor miracle.” She interrupted but Negan just carried on talking.

“-you're like me, you see the world the way I do. I'll let you in on a secret, the way I see it you're the only person in this place other than me worth trusting. We're the same.” 

“We're far from the same, Negan.” Lee told him softly. 

“Maybe not identical but we are cut from the same cloth. I know how I think, so I know how you think. We could be the best of friends or the worst of enemies. I'd rather us be friends though.” 

“I already told you I was your friend.”

“My point is, I've never met anyone like you before, someone that understands what the fuck is going on in my head.” 

Lee pauses at that, all her life men had wanted her for her body, her impressive chest, and truth be told Lee had never blamed men for that, she'd used them while they used her. Negan though, he actually seemed interested in who she was and frankly Lee found him incredibly attractive. She understood him and he understood her.” 

“Okay.” Lee rose to her feet and stretched almost obscenely.

“What?” Negan questioned, his voice deep. 

“Okay, you can fuck me.” She dropped her arms and turned towards the window to head back into Negan's bedroom. 

“Fucking seriously?” Negan almost had to do a double take. 

“You're window of opportunity is closing rapidly.” Yulia told him with a smirk as she hopped through the window only for Negan to scurry in behind her with the biggest grin she'd ever seen from him coating his bearded face. 

Lee padded towards Negan's luxuriously large bed with a swing of her hips and slowly pulled off the tour shirt then tossed it off to the floor unceremoniously. She knelt on the bed and turned to look at him with the most sultry expression she could muster, he was already half hard and it only spurred her on. The Russian gestured for him to join her on the bed with a single finger. 

“Come and play with me?”

Negan didn't need asking twice, he wanted to surge forwards but forced himself to take slow dominate steps towards the half naked woman kneeling on his bed. Hazel orbs traced up her smooth thighs past those little cotton shorts to her breasts. Negan had never seen anything more bewitching than Yulia's naked form, fully dressed she turned heads but naked form would stop any man in his tracks. Each one was so perfect and moulded to her form, Negan reached out to cup one and Lee let him enjoy his exploration of her body. There had been some debate among Gavin and Simon as to whether or not they were real but Negan knew the truth, no implant could have felt so perfect in his hand. He leaned in and pressed open mouth kisses to her porcelain neck as his large hands slipped down to cup her ass and pull her to him. Yulia purred. 

“Like that, darlin'?” 

“Negan.” 

Lee gripped the fabric of his white t-shirt and pulled him to her, his weight threw them off balance and the pair went tumbling down onto the cool slate colored sheets. Negan's lips met hers in a fierce kiss. Strong calloused hands trailed down over her flanks then he slipped two fingers into the waistband of her tiny shorts and shed the offending fabric. With Yulia finally naked before him – something that had occupied his mind since the day they'd met – Negan basked in her beauty,  _perfect._

“Go ahead, do your worst, Negan.” Lee said with a naughty smirk. 

“Oh believe me, I fucking will.” 

He looked at the delicate black curls at her glistening sex, _so wet and I've only kissed her,_ his mind muttered dominantly before his let his fingers stroke along her folds. Lee moaned, loud and needy, if Negan never heard another sound ever again he'd die a happy man. She was beautiful beneath him, arms falling to grip the bed sheets, lips parted to let little groans and pants escape as his clever fingers explored her wetness. He brought her to the brink of pleasure, until she almost couldn't take it any longer, and then pulled his hand away, her eyes flashed with need. Negan wouldn't deprive the Russian, couldn't refuse her, not when Yulia let out such stunning little noises. With a grin he slid down her supple body to pepper sweet kisses to her inner thighs. 

“Negan.” She breathed, the sound of his name on her tongue, in that accent, spurring him on, made him want to hear her scream.

“Shush, Daddy is gonna make you feel good.”

She'd used that word before, it had been long ago but Negan remembered, and fuck did he want to make it stick.

 

His tongue licked at her folds hungrily tasting the sweet flavour of his Lieutenant. Lee gasped out a strangled moan, she'd never felt anything like Negan's tongue before and couldn't even put the feeling into words, she wasn’t new to this by any means but Negan was something else, like he had to be the best at everything he did. 

His tongue lapped at her folds passionately, he was amazed at how wet she was for him, her hands gave up clinging to the sheets and raked into his slicked back black hair instead, gripping tightly as his tongue circled her clit. Negan kissed that sensitive bundle of nerves over and over making her scream louder and louder for him, then he slipped a finger inside her. Her grip on his hair became vice like but it only spurred him on as she moaned and gasped. A second finger entered her wet heat and then another, he crocked them as he kissed her clit. It didn't take long for Lee to start pushing back on his fingers, she was close and the Saviour leader knew that, he'd pushed her to the brink, taken the strong willed and stubborn Russian and reduced her to a quivering mess before him. After a few moments of careful thrusting she screamed out wrapping her legs around his head. Negan made sure to keep the thrusts going throughout her orgasm until she was left panting, her eyes fluttered closed. Lee felt nothing but pure pleasure. 

“Negan!” She all but screamed and Gods did that feed Negan's ego. 

He smirked when his lips met hers again, knowing she could taste herself on him. Reluctantly Negan sat himself on his haunches and ripped off his t-shirt then toed off his boots and made short work of his belt. The Lieutenant seemed to delight in just watching him, almost as though he was a mystery waiting to be revealed. 

Only after peeling the dark denim from his body so slowly it bordered on torment did Negan return to Lee, he pressed his lips to hers and finally, _finally,_ _thrust_ into his little  hellcat. Negan kept his movements slow so that she could feel every inch of his thick cock as he buried himself inside her. Yulia moaned, her back arched almost against her will. Lee had expected the Saviour to be large but she'd not quite anticipated just how thick he'd be, in that moment Lee knew that no other man would ever be able to satisfy her like the unyielding man on top of her. He settled both his hands on her hips forcing the dark-haired beauty back onto him that little bit further, she gasped as her head fell backwards against the soft pillows. Negan's thrusts began slow and gentle but soon his need took over and snapped his hips fast and sharp, he set a hard pace using Lee's hips to pull her back onto him. The Russian could only moan and grip the bed sheets until her slender fingers turned white. Negan groaned, his hips thrusting powerfully with a satisfying sound of slapping skin. Her eyes fluttered shut but the Saviour didn't allow it and gripped her neck to force her to look back at him.

“You keep your eyes on me, Sweetheart. Understood?” He he was breathless but still crashed their lips back together for a heated kiss.

Yulia was dangling on the very edge, looking down into the euphoric depths below with her bearded Saviour leader not far behind her, she wiggled her hips in just the right way, teasing experimentally, and send him into a primal rut, thrusting like his life depended on it. It was then that the raven-haired Russian grew needier and Negan flipped them so as he could watch his the naughty little girl ride him, his long and talented fingers gripped her hips leaving tiny little bruises over her porcelain skin, pulling her down onto him, impaling her. Lee grinned down at him, she'd never seen him so desperate, with her hands firmly planted on his chest Lee leaned down to kiss him again, gasping at the new angle and the way her kissed nipples grazed against his chest. 

It was then that she could take it no longer and plunged into the smouldering waters of bliss and euphoria her body clamped down around the older man as she rode out her orgasm, pulling him over the edge and into climax with her.


	8. So Near And Yet So Far

The next morning Negan awoke to find Lee in his shower, the sound of water running had been what had drawn him from his slumber. After a long stretch that bordered on painful he rubbed at his eyes casting away the remnants of sleep that still clung to him. Same apocalypse different day. Naked, he rose from the bed and made his way into the small, steam filled bathroom to join the dark-haired beauty under the hot spray. He snaked his arms around her naked form and pulled Lee so her back was flush against his hair spattered chest. 

“Morning, little girl.” He grinned against her neck. 

“Not a child.” She told him while gathering up her wet dark hair over one shoulder. 

Negan let his breath ghost over the shell of Lee’s ear, and gave it a nice lick before speaking. “I will find a pet name for you, I'm determined.” He promised, Negan's fingers trailed over her body as though trying to memorize every single inch of her. 

“Well, don't go overexerting yourself.” She chuckled.

Negan loved that about her, how aloof she could be one moment and then so humorous and sarcastic the next. He knew she liked his touch, craved even, when she pressed herself further back into his chest. Lee's skin was like porcelain so smooth and perfect. Calloused fingers stroked down her body over her hips and down between her legs while his lips found her neck to press open-mouthed kisses to the heated skin there. Negan's slid his hands down from Yulia’s sides to her as and gave the plump globes a nice, firm squeeze, Lee moaned, the sound bounced off the white tiles.

Negan easily pushed the Russian's legs apart a bit before sliding his right hand down to tease her while the left went up to cup her breast, her head fell back against his shoulder. The Saviour leader continued his teasing putting his thumb on her labia and spreading them open, revealing Lee’s folds and clit. Negan surged with an animalistic pride. He pressed a small kiss to her shoulder then bit down as he plunged two digits into his naughty little Lieutenant, he delighted in the sounds the raven-haired beauty let out. Fingers thrust almost tormentingly until Yulia was practically dripping – and not from the shower – her chest rose and fell with needy pants. 

“You like that? Hmm? So fucking greedy aren't ya.” Her eyes were closed and she could hardly hold her head up, not that she tried very hard. “Bet you taste fucking awesome!” 

Negan pulled his fingers from her and an feeling of emptiness swept over Lee, she mourned the loss of him. He examined his drenched digits for a moment as though her juices were gold then hungrily licked her from his talented fingers. Lee mewed. 

“Yeah, told ya, you taste fucking perfect.”

Suddenly Negan slapped Lee back against the cold tiles and dropped to his knees before her, water still raining down over them. Had the naked woman's mind been functioning properly she'd have wondered if the Saviour's wives got this much attention but her mind was much too focused on the bearded man between her legs for such thoughts. 

Negan put his attention back to Yulia’s glistening sex, spreading her thighs open once more and this time, giving her folds a lick. Lee leaned back just a bit, the tiles icy against her skin, her hands grasp at the older man's hair. Negan praised Lee's clit with licks and the occasional a good suck, she let out a gasp. That was when his fingers entered her once more, scissoring them, while his other hand slid down to stroke his hard cock. 

“Пожа́луйста Negan, Пожа́луйста!” (Please, Negan, please)

Negan hadn't got a fucking clue what she was saying but from the grip she had on his hair he could take a guess. He'd driven her to the very edge and would certainly enjoy pushing her over the finish line into climax.  He wasn't far behind her, his whole body radiated with urge to cum, with her wet need body before him how could he not?  Just a little more, a little more,  a little more...

“Negan!” She cried out his name, her walls clamping down around his fingers. 

He grinned up at her while licking the taste of her from his lips, his hand still working his length rapidly. 

“Shit!” He spilled his seed all over the shower floor. 

The two stayed there for a moment, Lee using the wall to hold herself up while Negan remained on his knees, knew if he stood he'd collapse. After a time when  both had gotten their breath back and Negan once again trusted his legs the bearded man rose to his feet and washed away what they'd just done then pressed a kiss to her lips and clambered out the shower. He shook water loose from his black hair leaving Lee behind under the spray and went to get dressed; a few seconds later the water shut off  and she followed him out in search of her Rammstein top and yellow cotton shorts. 

Negan smirked. “How domestic.” He said when he noticed that they were on either side of the room pulling clothes on with wet hair as though they'd done it hundreds of times before.  

“Give it twenty minutes, we don't do normal properly. Something will happen.” 

Sure enough before Negan could finish tying his boot laces and Lee could finish drying her hair there was a god awful crash in the not too far distance followed by a car horn blaring. A car horn that just kept blaring and would no doubt have the place swarming with dead bastards in minutes. 

“Told you.” She said ran a hand through her hair to decide if it was dry enough, still damp but good enough. 

“What are you, fucking psychic?” She shrugged. He grabbed Lucille and rose from the bed looking every inch the intimidating man he was. “I'm gonna get Simon to take the speaker truck out and lure as many dead motherfuckers away as possible. You go get fucking dressed but make it fucking quick. I'll meet you out front.” 

With that Negan was gone, heavy boots pounding the hallway outside being the only indication he'd ever been there  to begin with. As ordered Lee raced to her room just down the corridor once she'd set the hair dryer down and yanked her dresser draws open. She stripped off her pyjamas and threw on her trademark leather pants, a white tank top and a tight black waistcoat, she'd found the waistcoat a while back and just couldn't resist it. Her brother, Illya, hadn't been see without one on since he was fifteen. Once Yulia had put her holsters on, grabbed the usual stuff she had slipped to her belt and thrown on her tailcoat, she charged off downstairs to meet Negan. She was only around five to eight minutes behind him but still she didn't want to keep him waiting, especially with that car horn still going. 

When she got to the ground floor she found Hal, Evan, Connor and Koby waiting for her with concerned expressions on their faces. 

“Negan says you're riding with him.” Connor informed her in a vaguely Irish accent as they headed out into the sun towards the cars. 

“Fine whatever, just hurry up. We can't let this noise carry on much longer.” 

She climbed into the passenger seat and Negan roared out the gate with Yulia's men in a second car behind them with Arat and Dwight. They tracked the vehicle down soon enough, it was less than a half mile from the Sanctuary, as they slowed to a roll and finally a complete stop eyebrows raised. The car had crashed full force into a brick building that looked like it had once been a coffee shop or a pâtisserie of some kind, glass everywhere, this wasn't good. 

They all hopped out of the cars, Lee and Negan fought their way through the dead that had gathered towards the car while the other picked off the rest. They had to stop that horn. Inside the car were a woman and a child who couldn't have been more than seven or eight, the little girl had gone through the windshield. Negan just dropped Lucille and launched towards the child with horror in his eyes while Lee went to the driver's side. 

“Kid? Come one kid!” He yelled but there was so much blood, he searched for a pulse but it was pointless, the little girl had never stood a chance. “Shit!”

Negan drained of his sarcasm and flamboyant nature, of his attitude and anger, his mask slipped for a moment revealing the sorrow he felt for the loss of this little girl. Lee didn't notice though, she pulled the woman's head back from the wheel and finally the horn shut off. Suddenly there was a spluttering sound, the woman was still alive... barley. 

“It's alright, we'll get you out.” She said softly before looking over her shoulder to Hal for a second. “Hal! I need you.”

The woman's grey eyes shot open to look at her almost as though they'd met before.

“... Y-you sound li-like him.” She coughed up yet more blood.

Lee's eyes widened and then she surged forwards, up close to the woman's bruised and bloody face so she wouldn't miss a word.

“What? Like who? There's another Russian? Where is he?” She demanded in quick succession, Lee was desperate for an answer, her green orbs pleading but it was too late. The woman's head fell forwards and her eyes slipped shut. “Hет! (No) Нет, you answer my fucking question!”

Lee branched off into long sentences of angry Russian that had Arat and Dwight just staring at one another in confusion once the last of the walkers had been taken out. Everything went dead silent when Negan grabbed Lee from behind and pulled her to his chest.  She just cried into his chest, he'd never seen her cry before never seen her so emotional, not even in the shower that morning. Lee's legs gave out and she tumbled to the tarmac with Negan still wrapped around her; from the corner of his eye he saw Evan retrieve Lucille form the floor. 

“I promise you, we will find your brother.” He vowed quietly so as only she would hear him. “There can't be that many Russian men about, well find your brother. We'll find Illya, you have my word. I fucking promise you.”

 

~X~

 

Not long after they'd all returned to the Sanctuary, Negan sent Simon out with some men to track down where the car had come from. They didn't get very far through the streets though, west was the best answer they could gather, Simon had, however, discovered it had been a walker to cause the crash rather than someone chasing them. The woman had hit the deadite, got it stuck among the wheels and lost control of the car, it had rolled and eventuality smashed into the building. Simon and the Saviours had gone through the supplies the woman and little girl had with them and decided they'd probably been nomadic; surviving one day to the next. Negan had been pleased to hear about the walker and the supplies because it meant no one had purposely gone out intent on killing that little girl.

However, an accident with two tragic fatalities meant there was no real lead to Illya. There couldn't have been very many Russian men wandering around post-apocalyptic America but still they had no way of finding him. Lee had grown angry at that realisation, all she wanted was her twin back, he understood that and Negan had tried to comfort her by constantly reminding his Lieutenant that it was still a lead even if only a small one. It was more than she'd had when Negan first found her. 

Yulia had quickly regained her composure and continued her mission to dominate the area around the Elementary School they'd all taken to calling Lincoln Evan had spray painted 'Yulia is Queen' under the sign which had amused her and even more so when Negan had found out and scribbled in sharpie 'Negan is King' just above the paint. It had just been him being stupid and silly but it had cheered Lee up, something he'd been doing since the car crashed. 

After about a week Lee had managed to distract herself from Illya and Negan did his best to keep her that way; had even instructed her mini-Lieutenants do what they could to distract her from the subject. He sent her on countless runs and scouting missions.

Most of the homes surrounding Lincoln had long ago been picked over but a few had some interesting stuff remaining, nothing like what they'd found in the panic room but interesting nonetheless. In one there had been an extensive collection of books that the Russian had happily raided.

The next day Koby had returned to her office at Lincoln to tell her about a mini mall that had all but been destroyed, some kind of fire probably years ago. Didn't matter though there could have been a hidden treasure in there so she and her men had gone out to take a look for themselves. 

Lee and her four secondary Lieutenants had gathered up on the roof of the mini mall – the structurally sound half of it – looking over the area while her other men took whatever they wanted. That was something she let her Saviours do, if there wasn't any food, water or medical supplies and what was there the market at the Sanctuary would have no use for it, Lee would let them take whatever caught their eye. It kept them content.

Suddenly the Russian spotted movement out of the corner of her eye, at first she'd expected it to be the biters but something about it made her question herself. 

“Evan, rifle.” She ordered and the skinny man with spiky black hair handed over the bolt-action rifle he had in his hands. 

Lee looked through the scope. “They're not dead and they're not my men.”

“Who, boss?” Asked Hal as he brought up his own rifle to take a gander, there was a moment of quiet. “Never seen 'em before.” 

“Evan, take Connor and two other men – I don't give a fuck who – and follow them.” She instructed without looking up from the rifle scope. “If they go to a community I want you to watch the place and report to me.”

“Yes, boss.” Answered Evan quickly then headed off with Connor.

Hal and Koby were her big, strong Lieutenants, powerful and intimidating while Connor and Evan were smaller and skinny, they were her sneaky, subtle Lieutenants. That was why she'd chosen them, they all complemented each other's skill sets.

This was what Negan had sent her out for, what he'd given her an outpost for, to find new people and communities. To save people. 


	9. Kотик

The next morning Connor and Evan had informed Lee that there was indeed a community, small and poorly protected however, they were nestled in amongst so many other buildings that the twists and turns were almost maze like. With that information Lee had grabbed Hal as well as a few of her men and the two had to the Sanctuary to give Negan the news; she had to go anyway since Negan had called a meeting of his Lieutenants. 

As soon as they sat down in the conference room and Lee informed him of the new community  he'd grinned like the Cheshire Cat and called out 'that's how it's fucking done', to be hones Lee didn't see how sending four of her guys to check out a possible new group and report back was all that impressive, but at this point she no longer questioned what went on in his head. 

Negan listened to the rest of what his Lieutenants had to say but his eyes rarely left Lee, she'd settled in and become the best, and most trusted, Saviour he had in only a few months. A compete one-eighty from the headstrong rogue that had escaped the Sanctuary after only three days. He'd given her the largest of his outposts and she'd ruled over it like a badass, not a single one of her men ever had a complaint, they did their jobs and all seemed to adore the Russian. He'd told her they were cut from the same cloth and damn had he been right; they were both born for this world, pariahs in the old world but powerful leaders in the new one.

Gavin continued to whine, something about heading into a new area with too many places for an ambush and Negan was pretty sure Lee had fallen a sleep for a few minutes of it. She sat leant back in her seat, the tails of her coat had poured over the edge,  with her head supported on her fist; Negan thought it fucking adorable.  He himself had his feet propped up on the table edge with Lucille sat just in front of him and Regina looked about ready to smash her head into the table. Simon appeared to have zoned out and just sat there twiddling his thumbs as he stared off into nothingness. 

After twenty minutes or so Gavin – thankfully – had shut up and Regina had reported in and Negan had given out his orders. Lee had quickly rose to her feet intent on telling Hal to take as long as he needed to gather supplies while she returned to Lincoln but Negan stopped her halfway down the hall. 

“I'm coming with you, Yulia.” He said assuredly. “Want to see this group for myself.” 

Lee nodded and no more than five minutes later they were on the road, just the two of them. Lee hadn't seen Negan in almost a week, hadn't spoken about the night they'd spent together or their bathroom encounter, it wasn't exactly a topic to be avoided they just didn't didn't feel the need to make a big deal about it. 

As Lee drove Negan rolled the window all the way down and rested his leather clad arm in the space. A cooling breeze danced through the car  and blew the Russian's raven-hair around softly but she didn't care. She was perfectly content to drive in comfortable quietude but everyone knew Negan loved the sound of his own voice and couldn't be quiet for long. 

He didn't hide the fact he was staring at her legs and chest, so when he spoke it was no surprise what his first question was.

“You're tits are pretty huge, Lee, do those things hurt your back or something?”

That was one of the stranger questions he'd ever asked her but Lee just shrugged. “Sometimes.”

“I'll hold them for you if you want.”

He joked then promptly leant across the car to cup her breasts. Negan had expected her to shove him away but that didn't happen, instead she shook her head with a smile. 

Lee muttered without looking up from the road. . “Pervert.”

“Only around you, my little boo.”

“I'm not a ghost.”

Yulia had fully expected Negan's little nickname game to have died off by now but he just kept going, how had he not run out of shit to call her yet? He was determined to find something though, why it was so important to the leather clad man she didn't know and to be honest his game amused her more than anything. 

“Dream boat?

“Hell no.” He smirked at that.

“Doll face?”

She glanced at him. “I'm not Chucky either.” 

Negan roared with laughter at that, he'd almost forgotten that creepy little doll had ever been a thing. 

“I'll find something, don't you worry. I'll come up with something perfect.” He let his head fall back against the headrest. 

“I'm starting to seriously doubt that.”

“Never doubt me, Lee.”

Two minutes later the car rolled to a stop just outside the building her mini-Lieutenants had been using to watch the new group from afar, it was one of the tallest buildings in the immediate area and perfect to keep watch. The pair got out of the and were instantly greeted by Evan and Connor who'd been in charge of Lee's little surveillance mission. The four of them made their way up to the top corner office that had the best view of the tiny group, Negan yanked a pair of binoculars from a random man and took a look. Lee just stood there for a moment staring at the man.

“Who the fuck are you?” She asked.

“Me? I'm Ross.”

“You're Ross?” She pointed vaguely at him and Negan turned to face them. “I thought Ross was dude in the ball cap.” 

“What is up with that guy?” Began Negan in that deep baritone of his. “I saw the fucker talking to it once, what's up with that shit?” 

“That's Jared.” Connor informed smoothly. “He's a douche.”

Negan snorted. “Lee, I'll have him moved to Gavin's crew, less douchiness for my Russian goddess to deal with.” 

Negan went back to looking through the binoculars and everyone avoided saying a single word regarding the 'Russian goddess' comment, they all knew better. He could see the small and poorly fortified building the group had set up in, clearly it was a new start-up community and after a quick report from Evan he discovered there to be at least fifteen people gathered inside. 

“Thoughts? Criticisms? Concerns?” Lee asked from behind him.

“No, little cuddle bug-”

“нет.” (No) She cut him off but Negan just kept talking without looking up from the black binoculars

“-they're not prepared enough to be a stable group like us so I say we go in, offer to let them join us. If they bite then they're put through intake and integrated as Saviours and workers.” 

“And if they don't bite?” Yulia asked, her accent a soft caress. 

Finally he lowered the binoculars and turned to face her. God she loved that bad-boy smirk of his.

“Then we go in there and I teach them who is fucking in charge.” A Pause. “Who are you?”

“Negan!” Responded everyone but Lee and she really hoped they weren't going to start that again. 

“I said who the fuck are you?”

“Negan!” They all said again in an almost perfect unison. 

“Damn fucking right you are.” Just as Lee started to react he shoved the binoculars into Connor's hands and marched into her personal space. His voice was quiet when she spoke again. “Remember what happened last time you didn't answer the question? Who are you?”

“The best fuck this side of the Atlantic?”

She hoped humour would calm him down again as it had last time, she cursed herself, why didn't she just say what he wanted; it was almost as though she had to defy him.

Negan chuckled. “Funny, but I want a fucking answer. Who are you?” 

After a moment Lee reached up to grip the lapels of his leather jacket and pulled him down just enough so as she could whisper in his ear, his beard slightly tickled her cheek.

“I'm Negan's.” 

When she leaned back she saw the hunger in his hazel orbs but she ignored it in favour of handing out orders to her men while the Saviour leader just stood there with a grin on his face. She'd defied him again but only enough to change the meaning. Lee had a dominant and confident personality when it came to running Lincoln and her attitude towards life but that all changed when it came to him. When he'd fucked her she had been his to do with as he pleased, all needy and begging. Thinking about it he preferred 'I am Negan's' to his usual response, the thought of her saying that him him on her knees looking up at him with those big green eyes of hers had him practically half hard in seconds; Christ he needed to fuck her again! 

Suddenly his head snapped back to the world around him. “Yulia.”

“Да?” (Yes?)

“I want men stationed her a few more nights just to make sure we haven't missed anythin'. We'll swing by and ask them for a cup of sugar then. We're done here.”

Yulia raised an eyebrow. “That's it? You had me bring you all the way out here for a look through the binoculars and to tell us to carry the fuck on?”

“Nah, that's for them.” He nodded his head towards Evan, Connor and the others. “You're coming with me.”

Negan didn't wait for a response, just swung Lucille up onto his shoulders and walked out the tattered office towards the staircase knowing Lee would follow. 

“Where?” She asked as they started to descend the stairs.

“Secret.” The dark-haired man simpered.

As they turned to head down the next flight of stairs she grunted. “I don't do a lack of details.”

Suddenly Negan had her backed up into the corner of the old stairwell crowding her, for some reason papers littered the floor and crunched underfoot. 

“You do whatever the fuck I tell you-” he had Lee pinned against the wall and couldn't resist running the hand not holding Lucille up her thigh until it came to rest on her hip “- like my good little girl.”

Lee loved the warmth of him against her, the deep, dominant tone; she bit her lip.

“And If I'm naughty?”

Negan smirked. “Well, you might earn yourself a spanking.” He purred. 

“Promise?”

“Always, cupcake.”

The leather clad man pressed himself against her, Lucille hung loosely from his hand.

“You already tried that one, it's still a no.” Lee's fingers drew little patterns over the small patch of white t-shirt that peeked out from his leather jacket.

When he leaned in to kiss her his beard scratched against her perfect porcelain skin but she couldn't bring herself to care. Their tongues met in a battle for dominance that Negan quickly won, their foreheads touched every now and again when they separated for air before letting their lips brush against each other's once more. Her scent flooded his senses, their kiss wasn't innocent more like a tease, hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. 

“Whoa!” Negan's and the Russian's heads snapped up the stairs to see Evan averting his gaze quickly. “Sorry, bosses.” 

Hazel and green eyes watched as Evan back peddled out of sight. Only then did the walking mononym release his grip on her waist. 

“You got 'em trained right.”

“I'm good.”

Negan stepped back to gaze upon her and then said with a flourish. “Fuck, yes you are.” 

After that he just carried on down the stairs again swinging Lucille back and forth as though the whole pressed up against a wall incident had never happened. Of course she followed. 

“Seriously though, where the fuck are we going?”

“Told ya,” he said over his shoulder “it's a secret. Just you and me.”

“Like a date?” She teased with a small chuckle as they reached the bottom of the stairs and exited the building.

“Why the fuck not? It's more than any of my wives get.”

He held his hand out towards her and Lee instantly knew he wanted the car keys, wherever they were going he wanted to lead the way. She fished them out of her back pocket and handed them over easily.

“Oh, so you're the romantic with me, I feel honoured.”

“You should.”

He hopped into the car and the engine roared to life as Lee slid into the passenger seat. He adored the way her wit and sarcasm matched his almost seamlessly, they just gelled. 

Negan and she drove for a time along the long dusty roads, at first she'd assumed they were headed back to the Sanctuary but they drove straight past the exit that would have taken them home. He seemed to notice her sudden confusion but didn't comment on it. 

“Can I guess where we're going?”

“You can guess, Yulia.” He told her without looking up from the road, the  _it doesn't mean I'll answer_ went unsaid.

It was becoming increasingly obvious he liked saying her name, good job her father had won that little name battle, her Mom had wanted to call her Hannah.

For a few minutes Lee just stared out the window at the trees that flew by thinking about her first guess, then she smirked.

“Is it a romantic dinner for two at the States best restaurant?”

“Afraid not, darlin', but good guess.” Negan reached for a bottle of water Lee had left in the cup holder and took a long swig, his Adam's apple bobbed. 

“A carriage ride around the park? Or whatever other хуйня́ (bullshit) people thought was romantic before the world fell.”

“Nope.”

She shrugged. “Dog fighting?”

That got his head to snap up, brow furrowed.

“What the fuck, Lee?! That shit is just cruel. Dogs are better than most fucking people!”

“Something we can agree on.”

Conversation went on like that for almost twenty-five minutes before he brought the dark vehicle to a screeching halt. He didn't say a word, just clambered out the car and grabbed Lucille. When Lee got out and looked up at the building he'd stopped outside of she raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. 

“A library?”

It was a huge old fashioned building made of grey stone with matching steps leading up to it and pillars. A big square building that stood out from all the others nearby, imposing. A few ruined cars lay dotted about the street but other than that the whole street was abandoned. 

“Don't fuck with me, I've seen how many books you've fucking accumulated in your room at Lincoln. You can't deny it, I know you're a fucking closet bookworm.” He gestured to the large library. “So boom library!”

He grinned at her widely and though stupid she could see it was him trying to do something nice for her, in a way Yulia found it cute which was novel thought. Cute wasn't really a word people associated with Negan; dangerous, homicidal, powerful, sexy as fuck, yes, cute not so much. It kind of suited him though. 

“Merry fucking Christmas! Come on.”

With that Negan jogged up the stone steps with Lucille and held the huge wooden door open for her. She thanked him on her way in, her eyes taking in the sight of shelf upon shelf of books punctuated by little seating areas, she loved it. The door swung shut behind them leaving only the Gothic windows to light the place. 

“Me and Simon came across it about a year ago, not much interest in the place though, the Saviours aren't big readers. Not much demand for books and we'd just got a load of new kids things when we found it.”

“And you?” She asked as they walked over the aged white marble towards the fiction section.

“I've been known to indulge. Now,” he stowed Lucille on his shoulder. “why don't you go frolic among the stacks.”

“And thus ends the romantic portion of our 'date'.” She chuckled then headed off towards what the signs said were the poetry books. 

The place seemed almost complete untouched since food was more important than literature, didn't stop Lee going in search of Robert Frost and Edgar Allan Poe.

After about an hour Negan started to hear god awful banging coming from where he'd left Lee, sharp, loud bangs. Negan just went running, straight down the long hallways carved out by the stacks and rounded the corner to where he'd left Lee with Lucille raised ready to start swinging. It wasn't needed though, Lee was fine, nothing was wrong. The Russian was up a narrow ladder raking through the tomes, the loud bangs turned out to be Lee just dropping certain books to the hard marble floor rather than going up and down the ladder. 

“The fuck, woman! I thought something was wrong.” He bit out as he lowered Lucille back down to his side.

She looked down at him with those big apple-green eyes and a smirk. “And you came charging to my rescue? What a hero.”

“I'm fucking awesome! Should be calling me fucking Sir Negan.” 

He'd been angry when he'd first realised what the noise was but those eyes and the perfect view of her ass had worked wonders to calm him. Hazel orbs trailed up past her laced military boots, over her firm thighs and the holsters there then to her ass, usually her tailcoat – the points of which scraped the backs of her knees – hid that sexy little ass of hers hidden but she'd cast the coat off and set it neatly on a table a few feet from the ladder. 

“Think I'll stick around for the view.” He chuckled.

“You do that.”

Lee purposely stuck out her backside as she reached across the shelf for the next book she wanted and dropped it down to the pile on the floor.

“You picked out enough fucking books there?” He asked while leaning against the stack opposite the ladder. 

“Well, why the fuck not? I don't think a librarian is going to hunt me down for books I haven't returned.” A brief pause. “And we have an empty fucking car so fill her up while you can.” 

That devilish smirk was back. “Now those are words I can fucking get behind.”

“Pervert.” She muttered.

“But I'm a sexy pervert.” He chuckled in jest.

Lee nodded to herself. “True.”

The last book the raven-haired Russian dropped was by far the largest and the noise it made when it landed was almost ear shattering, it reverberated around the whole building almost like an earthquake. Lee slid down the ladder seemingly done.

“Put those in the car for me?”

“What the fuck do you think I am, your slave?”

Lee came close and rocked up onto her tiptoes so she could press a kiss to his lips, she whispered into his ear. 

“I'll make it worth your while.”

“Really?” He hummed, grin wide and eager to find out just how she planed to do that.

Yulia bit her lip and nodded seductively. After only a second or two the Russian Lieutenant dropped to her knees and started to unbuckle Negan's belt, he watched with want and desire in his eyes as she released his already hard member from his tight jeans, At first, Yulia gently licked the tip which forced Negan to suck in a hot breath through his teeth as she looks up, eyes full-blown with lust and naughtiness which made her eye color pop even more; he'd never seen eyes so green. 

“Don't fucking tease me, Yulia.” 

She grinned, that was exactly what she'd been doing

And then, slowly, Lee slid him into her mouth, she took in as much of him as she could. Negan's head fell back against the books and his hands grabbed at her hair forcing her down onto him. His grip was harsh and hard but Yulia liked it, she liked it when he was rough; his forcefulness. To her it was part of Negan's sex appeal. 

Lee sank herself down to the hilt and Negan had to fist his hands into her long hair even harder to keep himself from cuming there and then like a horny teenager. 

“Fuck, baby!” He gasped out, trying to ground himself as the Russian sucked hard on his cock, saliva dripping from her mouth. Negan let out a guttural groan. “Yeah, you like that? You like sucking Daddy's cock?”

Lee hummed around him forcing a moan from the Saviour. She was a fucking champ at this! Had Negan been able to think properly he'd have wondered exactly  _why_ she was go fucking good at this, but Christ was this girl on her knees the sexiest fucking thing he'd ever fucking seen.

“Fuck, baby!” He said again, though this time he’d pulled Lee’s head off his dick, and almost came at the sight of her swollen lips, flushed and panting under the dim library light.

She kept her eyes firmly locked on him as he stroked his thumb over her lips glistening with pre-cum then forced her back to him. Lee gripped at the top of his jeans as she sucked him back into her mouth.

“That's it, Yulia. Fuck, yes! That's my good fucking girl. Daddy's little whore.” 

Negan couldn't remember ever getting off faster but fuck did it feel good! His grip grew harsher on the back of her head as he thrust his hips and finally came with her name on his lips. She'd swallowed every drop before he released her. 

“That's my good girl.” He panted, eyes closed. “My fucking good girl.”

She smiled up at him. “Worth your time?”

“Fuck yes, get as many fucking books as you fucking want.” He pulled Lee to her feet and crashed their lips together, Negan could taste himself on her tongue. When they separated he cupped her cheeks. “You're beautiful, you know that,  котик?” 

“Sweet talker-” Lee's eyes went wide and she cut herself off, she'd only just realised what he'd said. “Wait... did you just call me pussycat?” 

Negan grinned, pleased he'd pronounced it correctly. “Uh-huh.” 

He reached behind him and pulled a thick but small blue book from his back pocket that he then wiggled in front of her.

“A Russian to English dictionary?” Her eyebrows raised. “And the first word you looked up was pussycat?” 

“No, it was underneath the first work I looked up.” He stuffed the book back into his pocket. “So, nickname thoughts. You wanna be my little котик (pussycat)?” 

“You need a little work on your pronunciation but fine, anything is better than pumpkin or fucking dream boat.”

Negan hummed happily and pressed a kiss to her lips before going to grab the books she'd thrown on the floor and load them into the car. As he headed towards the main exit he spun around and started to walk backwards. 

“Told you I'd get there!”

Lee just rolled her eyes then pushed the ladder along and started to grab more books. A few minutes later when Negan came back she dropped a book which missed him by inches. 

“Fucking watch it”

She released another one that landed at his feet. “Sor-”

A huge smash as though a door had given way brought everything to a stop and the pair stared down to the end of the stack trying to figure out what had just happened, a few seconds later they heard growls and knew they had a load of biters heading towards them. Lee slid down the ladder and pulled her coat on as they listened to the sounds trying to figure out where exactly the deadites were coming from. It was an old stone building, the constant sound of tomes slamming against the marble had drawn them. 

“I thought you said you'd been here before, cleared it.” She whispered angrily because God only knew how many were headed for them. 

“Don't get fucking snippy with me. I have and we did clear it. There weren't any fuckers in here, how the shitting hell did they get in?” 

They both headed down the stacks, Lee pulled her weapons from their holsters while Negan grabbed his faithful Lucille and raised her up ready to swing. They slowly made their way towards the gargling and shuffling noises knowing that it wouldn't be too long until they came across the dead. Only a few meters from where Lee had been on her knees for Negan they found the dead motherfuckers making their way through the stacks. 

“You go left, I'll go right.” Negan ordered and the pair jumped into action. 

Negan swung Lucille taking out any deadite that came close while Lee put her suppressed guns away in favour of her knife, she didn't want to waste the ammo. She took out a dead woman quickly, when Negan had made his 'date' reference Lee hadn't expected to be cutting down a wall of walkers with him. Blood was getting on the fucking books, however, it was the romance section so Lee let it slide. As they worked their way through the small gaggle of the dead and eventuality towards a basement door tucked away in the corner of the building, if Negan's Saviours had only done a quick once over of the place they'd probably missed the door completely. 

When the last of the rotted walkers had been taken down they headed down into the baseball and were instantly struck by the stench of death, the biters had been down there a long time. It became quickly apparent that people had been using the basement as a refuge of sorts. There were sleeping bags and old lanterns down there, it certainly looked live in. Somehow everyone down there had turned and just stood there gathering dust until the sound of Lee dropping books had made them press against the door until it gave way. 

The two Saviours looked around, might have well since they were there, it was pitch black down there so Lee pulled a small blue flashlight from her belt and illuminated the room, Negan glanced at her. 

“What the fuck are you, fucking Inspector Gadget? Why do you always just have everything? I mean you brought a fucking blow torch on the one day we needed to get into a motherfucking panic room.” 

Lee shrugged. “I was a procurer-”

“Thief.” He interrupted but she ignored him.

“It meant I needed to be prepared for anything and I did work in the dark a lot.” Lee informed. 

“How much shit do you have clipped to you anyway?”

Lee smirked and paused her in her search around the basement and peered down at her waist.

“Well,” she began easily “I have my holsters and guns, then there's my knives, flashlight, pen, oh and lip balm.” As if to emphasise that fact she took the small red tube out and applied some before replacing it.

“You carry a pen and lip balm?” He asked incredulously.

“You never know when I'll need to write something down and I don't want my lips getting dry.”

Using Lucille Negan pushed a few boxes over over confirming that they were empty. “Covering all your bases.” 

“Exactly.” A pause. “Hey, we should take the nicer looking stuffed toys. Get them cleaned and give them to the kids back at the Sanctuary.”

Negan turned to face her with a small half smile on his lips. “You're a soft touch really aren't ya?”

“Tell anyone and I'll deny it.” She responded in jest.

Suddenly Negan crossed the room and pulled her into his grasp, the circle of light from her flashlight danced across the otherwise black room. 

“Intelligent, prepared, sexy as fuck and at heart is there anyway you're not perfect?” 

Lee chuckled at him, he had her pressed against him and she could feel his warmth seeping from his chest into her own.

“нет, I'm awesome.” She deadpanned.

“Ahh, modesty is where you're lacking.” 

“And you aren't?” She shot back. “I am Negan,” she began in the best American accent she could muster. “all powerful and imposing.” 

A large hand shot up to grip her throat, warningly not to hurt; a pleasurable pressure. The other hand slid over her body to cup her breast.

“I'm not an ego maniac, котик. (pussycat)” 

“Maybe not but you do like the sound of your own voice.”

“Of course I do. Have you heard this silky baritone.”

The hand at her throat finally released but the one at her breast remained as though taking in every detail, he must have been stood like that a while because her voice startled him; though he didn't show it. 

“Are they suitably squeezable?” She asked bluntly only for Negan to snap out of his little mental world of boobs. 

“You just have something to say about everything don't cha darlin?” 

“Negan, I speak five languages: Russian, English, Swedish, German and sarcasm.”

He roared with laughter at that and finally let his hands fall from her cleavage, he felt like he was always laughing around Yulia. 

“I love that you argue with me and back chat me. None of that rolling over and taking it for you. Nah, none of that shit. You sometimes push too far but you're so fucking sexy that I'll just pull you back rather than smashing your head in.” 

“How gracious.” The Russian didn't seem impressed.

Negan beamed. “See! Right fucking there! If Dwight said that I'd beat the shit out of him but not you. You're like me.”

Yulia just smiled up at him. “But with better tits?” 

“Fuck yeah!” Suddenly he hoisted Lucille up onto his shoulder and spun around as though surveying the room. “Now, let's get the fuck out of here. It smells like fucking death down here.” 

Lee didn't say a single word when she noticed him grab a few clean toys on their way out.


	10. Things Never Quite Go To Plan

Lee clambered out of Negan's comfy king sized bed after she came down from her orgasmic bliss and walked stark naked towards the bathroom knowing his bold hazel orbs followed her every step of the way. 

“Christ, you're fucking beautiful!” He praised from the bed, one arm tucked behind his head as he leant against the headboard. “I mean those tits deserved a goddamn trophy.” 

Lee chuckled at that and stopped in the doorway.

“They appreciate your support.”

“Support? Those fucking things defy fucking gravity!”

Yulia just rolled her eyes and closed the bathroom door behind her, she cleaned up quickly and tidied up her dark hair that Negan had gripped so hard that one side looked like a birds nest. The young woman threw on a white t-shirt of Negan's that he'd discarded earlier and left the bathroom again. She'd expected to find him still in dishevelled bed when she returned but instead he was gone. The faint sound of singing reached her hears, it was a song she knew, a song she'd not heard in so long. When she turned her head Lee saw Negan leant against the open window looking out past the fire escape singing quietly to himself wearing only a pair of cargo pants. Slowly she shuffled towards the Saviour leader. 

“... _there is no sickness, no toil, nor danger in that bright land to which I go._ ”

His voice was rugged and suited the song, Negan wasn't the best singer by any means but there was a certain ruggedness to his voice that created a sense of warmth and depth. 

Negan heard the bathroom door open but didn't bother looking up from the window, it was a pleasant evening outside the Sanctuary, the stars littered the sky and moonlight caressed his skin as he sung to himself while debating if he wanted dinner or not. That was when he heard what could only be describe as a sniffle, Negan's brow furrowed and he spun around to see Lee... crying. It wasn't harsh sobs, more like she was forcing herself to be quiet as though she didn't want to disturb him. The bearded man had only seen Yulia cry once before and it had nearly broken his heart; not that he'd ever admit that. In an instant the Saviour leader reached for her and pulled Lee to his chest, she cuddled into his chest and gripped him tight. 

“Hey, what's wrong?” There was genuine concern in his voice.

“Nothing just... why did you have to pick _that_ song?” Another sniffle. “And why did you have to sing it so wonderfully?”

Clearly the song was important to her, Lee's fingers dug into his chest where she clung to him. Her sadness wasn't full force, more like he'd opened up an old wound and sadness was slowly seeping through the cut. She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

Negan sighed. “You're father or your brother?” 

He knew it had to be one of them. Negan had quickly learnt  that only her family got any large emotional response from Lee, the rest of the time she was nothing but sarcastic and standoffish. 

“My father, Roman, he loved Johnny Cash and 'Wayfairing Stranger' was his favourite... and 'Hurt'. All the other versions of the song and he'd always go back to that one.” 

“The man had good taste.” He smiled in an attempt to comfort her and to lighten the mood; Lee appreciated it. 

“You two would have gotten on like a house of fire. Kirill wouldn't have like you, too cocksure, but Father would have.” 

Negan laughed at that, Yulia felt it vibrate through his chest and into her own body. There was something comforting about it. 

“Sing the rest?” She inquired with a sense of hope.

Negan wasn't a performing monkey, had anyone else asked that he'd have told them to fuck off but there was such sadness in Lee's eyes that he couldn't refuse  her. Negan knew he wasn't the best singer but still he did as she'd asked. Lee just rested her head against his naked chest and listened to him gruffly sing the last few verses of the song. 

When the song came to an end Negan went quiet and everything was silent. Her green eyes were closed and she just stood there with him, truth be told the domesticity made him uncomfortable, he wasn't used to it. Only when the silence stretched on too long did Negan finally speak; scramble for something to say was more like it. 

“Sexy as hell, a badass, smart and now a Johnny Cash fan! Jesus Christ girl, you should be one of my wives, I might actually be able to have an interesting conversation with one that way.” 

Lee shook her head and stepped away from him only a little, just enough so she could see his face.

“нет. (No) I'll never be one of your wives, never. I like the sex, I really fucking do but I won't be one of those idiots dressed in stupid black dresses with more make-up on my face that there is face, doing nothing but whine about everything despite how fucking easy their lives actually are.” 

_Shit, she really doesn't like my fucking wives._ Lee continued completely unaware of Negan's internal thoughts. Precisely why Lee despised the wives Negan didn't know. 

“I'd rather be out there running the Lincoln outpost, going on runs, doing something useful. If they're my options I'd rather remain your Lieutenant.” 

Negan tilted his head. “No matter what happens you'll have Lincoln, sign says you're queen and everything.” He chuckled. “You know, unless you turn on me but I seriously fucking doubt that,  котик.”  (pussycat)

“Good, and you're getting pretty good at pronouncing that.” She'd seeming pushed her sadness from her mind as though it had been a momentary blip.

“What can I say?” He said flamboyantly. “I learn quickly.” Yulia didn't say anything so Negan carried on talking. “You wanna watch a movie or something? I got a pretty decent collection. No rom-com shit though. That crap needs burning.” 

“I concur and shouldn't you be sat with your wives fawning over you?” 

“Fuck no.” That devilish smirk was back. “Why would I go to those bitches when I got the best pair of fucking tits I've ever seen right here?” He leaned in close and whispered in her ear. “Don't tell anyone but I like you more than my wives.”

Lee chuckled and shook her head. “I don't remember the last time I watched TV.”

Negan suddenly clapped his hands together. “It's settled then. I'll get food sent up.” 

“Is this like a second date?” She teased.

“Sure, why the fuck not?”

The pair ended up watching 'The Evil Dead' and laughed every time someone died, the two clearly had the same sense of humour. It was nice to just sit and be with another person without expecting anything, they didn't have to hold their masks quite so close.  Negan knew Lee didn't give a shit, he could just be plain sarcastic him without making sure he kept the constant menacing threat of Lucille looming. Not that Lucille was a problem, he loved his sweet little bat.

The night was... peaceful.

 

~X~

 

Negan banged Lucille on the door to the small store, home to he group Lee's men had been watching for nearly two weeks. He'd finally decided that it was time they paid the little cluster of people a visit. The only response Negan got was silence. 

“Kissogram!” Still they got no answer. Lee stood there beside her Lieutenants – minus Koby who she'd left at Lincoln – with her hands on her hips looking rather unimpressed. “Don't make me ask a-fucking-gain!” Not so much as a shuffling, Negan nodded to Lee and she headed off with the mini-Lieutenants out of sight. Negan stepped back from the door. “Alright, go on boys.” 

A small group of Saviours stepped torwards the door and promptly smashed the door down allowing them to storm the place. The people inside tried to flee out the back door but found themselves trapped by Lee and her men with guns raised. The store residents found were very quickly surrounded by the mass of Saviours. Seemingly from nowhere a tall black man launched at Yulia with a knife but she easily dodged it, sent the knife to the ground and pistol whipped him which knocked him out cold.

“Connor, put him with his friends.” She ordered in a soft accent and the redhead obeyed quickly.

There were maybe fifteen people in the small store – looked like it had probably been a grocery store before the world fell – three of them were children, the youngest being no more than four.

“You're good, boss.” Called Dwight from beside the main door and moments later Negan entered. 

Lucille was rested gently on his leather clad shoulder, face stoic and looked every bit the imposing and powerful man he was. Negan smiled at the terrified group of people all huddled together. 

“Who are you?” A woman from the back asked in a quivering voice.

“Why we're the Saviours, darlin'.” Negan smiled. “I'm Negan.” He paused a moment to really let that mononym sink in and pulled Lucille form his shoulder. “This dirty little girl is Lucille and Christ if she ain't thirsty. Now, do me a favour and kneel.” 

For a moment everyone just glanced at one another confused and bewildered until Lee piped up. 

“For the love of God, show some intelligence and don't make him ask again.”

That got people to obey and everyone dropped to their knees, parents whispering to their children to do the same. Negan glanced around pleased he'd not had to start swinging and stowed Lucille back up on his shoulder. 

“Now, who the fucking thinks they're in charge here?” He asked in a deep tone.

At the very front of the group a man with long, straggly blonde hair that reminded him of Dwight raised his hand. The man in his mid thirties didn't seem scared like the others, more cautious.

“Well done.” The bearded man praised sarcastically. “And what's your name then, ya skinny shithead?” 

“... Derek.”

Negan snorted. “Of fucking course you're a Derek!” He cleared his throat. “Alright  _Derek_ , I'm gonna lay it out all nice and fucking simple or ya because I'm all helpful and shit. Normally me, my boys and my sexy little Russian would come in here, smash somebody's head and leave you with the knowledge that half your shit is our's from now, but like I said we're all nice and shit so we'll go ahead and protect you in return.” He started to pace back and forth before the group, towering over them all. “Clearly that's not gonna work here. Not common we find a group with so little defence anymore, they're all either dead or a large community. You sorry fucks defy the fucking statistics! So we're going to do something a bit fucking different, the strong amongst you will join us as my Saviours, you're families will be safe. The rest are gonna be workers, we'll find something useful for ya to do because people are  _a fucking resource_ !”  Negan came to a stop before them to face the group head on. “You come with us and you'll have safety from those dead sons of bitches, other kids for your children to play with.” 

“And if we refuse?” Asked Derek already anticipating the answer.

Negan peered down at the skinny blonde with a smirk across his handsome face. 

“Then you sure as shit won't last the week. You see my hot as shit Yulia over here-” The dark-haired man shot back to his full height and gestured to Lee with his Lucille-less hand. “-had been systematically picking of the fucking deadite motherfuckers drawn by all the fucking noise you dumb fucks have been making for almost two – I shit you not – weeks! You can't survive without my Russian acting like your personal fucking guardian angel.” A pause. “You're welcome to take your chances but I _don't think you will_.” He sang the last part of the sentence.

“You want us to be your slaves.” Derek accused. 

Lucille was suddenly thrust into his face.

“Hey! Saviours don't do slavery, Saviours don't do rape, so you can shut that shit down right fucking now! You work for points and buy shit!” Negan calmed himself. “My boy Simon will explain that to you during intake back at the Sanctuary. Don't worry, got induction packs and fucking everything.” Hal snorted at that but no one seemed to notice. “Thoughts? Criticisms? Concerns?” He hardly paused for an answer. “Good! You can stay if you want but you really won't fucking last long so make your fucking decision and make it fucking quick.” 

Negan knew no one would choose to remain, most of them weren't fighters just scared people with kids to think about. They'd all be in the box truck they'd brought with them within ten minutes. Suddenly Negan's attention was drawn to Lee when she bent over to pick up the knife she'd been attacked with, his tongue jutted out to wet his lips. He couldn't help the firm slap he gave to her ass and the fact she didn't immediately take his head off surprised him; though he was pleased she'd not tried to make him look weak in front of the new people. 

“Come on Lee, things to see, people to do.”

With that Negan walked out the store and out into the light with Lee hot on his tail.

“This is a Walther blade. I'm keeping it.”

“Sure, котик (pussycat), I don't give a fuck.” He rolled the back of the box truck open in anticipation of filling it with people and set Lucille down softly. 

“You were quite lenient in there, Negan, that's not like you.” She put the knife away in her belt. 

“Course I did, there are little kids in there.”

Before Lee could say a word Negan had hoisted her up to sit on the back of the box truck and forced her legs apart to make room for him. Negan crashed their lips together and pulled her against his already half hard lengths. 

“Fuck! I love it when you wear these fucking leather pants. Shows that damn fine ass off.” His hands trailed up her flanks under the tailcoat to cup her breasts; Lee moaned. “Like that? You make such sexy little noises for Daddy.” 

Suddenly the mood changed and Negan's hazel orbs widened when she pulled her CZ 75B from her right thigh holster and fired, had there not been suppressors on both her guns she'd have deafened him. Negan finally glanced behind him to see a walker slumped down dead a few feet behind him that hadn't been there when they'd arrived. He grinned at the raven-haired beauty. 

“You always got my back, don't ya?”

“I'm one of your Lieutenants, it's my job.” She said as though it were simple.

“Fuck yeah you are! I'm starting to think you should be my number two, Simon isn't all there sometimes.” 

“нет (No) shit! Wat is it you Americans say? He's a _loose cannon._ ”

“You don't trust him do you.” It wasn't a question but Lee answered anyway, her legs till wrapped around Negan's hips. 

“нет (No). I've learnt two things in my life. One: don't trust anyone with a moustache. And two: always believe scrawled messages, scrawlers don't lie.” Negan chuckled at that and leaned in to kiss her softly on her pink lips. “And anyway he looks like the villian from 'Open Season'.” 

“From what?” Negan raised an eyebrow. 

She smiled softly. “It's a kids movie. Connor watches a lot of animated дерьмо (shit).”

The Saviour leader pushed Lee further back against the bed of the box truck and kissed her again, they'd had pancakes that morning and she still tasted of maple syrup. His beard tickled her cheek, Lee moaned into his touch.

“You're going to have to teach me to swear in Russian. Christ, I could have fun with that.”

“Whatever you want, but I want you to take me back to the Sanctuary and fuck me on that king sized bed of yours.” She pulled him close and purred into his ear. “You made me all wet.” 

Negan smirked, devilish and schoolboy like. “Oh did I now?” 

It was then that Evan appeared.

“Hey, bosses, we're ready to start loading them – shit, sorry.” This was the second time Evan had interrupted Negan and Lee, it was starting to become a common occurrence.

“It's fine.” She told him as she pushed Negan off her, holstered her weapon and hoped off the truck. “Is it all of them?” 

“Yeah boss.”

Negan retrieved his beloved bat. “Then what ya waiting for Evay-boy? Load 'em up.” 

“Yes Negan.” With that the man with spiky back hair scurried off. 

The Saviour leader straightened his leather jacket and then followed Lee around to the front of the truck.

“I like your mini-mes,” he told her “they get shit done. You chose well-”

He'd been going to say more but stopped dead when there was a tug at his leg and a horrified gasp. Hazel orbs glanced down to find one of the children – the only boy – peering up at Negan with huge innocent eyes. The mother looked horrified when Negan crouched down to look at the boy who was no more than seven while Saviours guided everyone else into the box truck. 

“Mister? Will my Daddy be there?”

“Will your Daddy be there.” He repeated then glanced up to the mother a few feet away, after a split second she shook her head; _dead then._

Lee just watched Negan, he actually looked emotionally affected by that,  he cared, then again she'd noticed he had a soft spot for young kids; he'd probably have made a good father, firm but good. Negan didn't come across as an especially good man but Negan was good to kids, to him they were innocents. 

“What's your name kid?” He asked, voice lighter than usual. Lucille hung intimidatingly from his hands. 

“H... Hayden.” Answered the young brunette boy.

“Well, Hayden, I'm really sorry bit no, he won't.” The boy looked ready to cry. “But your Mommy will and she needs you to help my men keep her safe. You think you can do that for her? Hayden nodded. “Good kid.” There was a brief pause where Negan clocked the boy staring at Lucille. “You like my girl here? Yeah you do. She's a little firecracker. You wanna hold her and sit up front with us?” 

Three things happened then, Hayden beamed up at Negan while reaching for Lucille, Lee raised an eyebrow and the mother just behind her son freaked the fuck out silently. 

“Yeah!” Negan let the boy have Lucille. 

“Alright.” He rose to his feet and pulled the boy into his arms, then carried him off to sit in the front of the truck while Dwight clambered into the driver's seat.

Lee looked over at the mother, her son was the spitting image of her, and thought it best to reassure her. 

“What's your name?”

“... Tricia. Please-” Lee cut her off.

“Negan would never harm a child. Your son will be fine. As soon as we get back to the Sanctuary you'll get him back just as he is now.”

Suddenly she snapped her fingers and Hal padded over to usher Tricia into the box truck.

“She's right you know.” Lee heard Hal saying as they walked away.

When Lee got into the front of the truck she found Hayden practically snuggled into Negan's side looking amazedly at Lucille. Kids really did bring out the true good side of Negan and it made her want to kiss him... so she did. One of the Saviours smacked on the side of the truck indicating they were ready to go and Dwight started the engine. Lee's Lieutenants were ahead of them in her blue Jeep. 

After about ten minutes on the road Hayden looked up to Yulia, Lucille seemingly forgotten. 

“Are you his wife?”

Dwight snorted but Negan quickly silenced him with a glare, the sort of glare that said there would be consequences later. Lee opened her mouth to tell the boy no but Negan got there first. 

“She kind of acts like it, don't she kid?” Hayde, not knowing if Lee did or not, just blinked at Negan. “You wanna marry a sexy girl like her one day?” 

“Ew!” Hayden's little face contorted in disgust. “Girls are icky.”

Negan roared with laughter, real laughter. Lee just continued to stare at them.

“Yeah they are!” His eyes raked over the Russian hungrily, up her legs to her thighs.

 

~X~

 

When they rounded the corner to the Sanctuary there were walkers everywhere. Way too many to slice through. This shouldn't have been possible, Negan had his men track heards and drew them away if they started getting too close. 

“What the fuck!”

Negan's sudden shout made young Hayden jump but no one noticed, too concentrated on the heard. The bearded man reached for his radio and growled into it. 

“Simon! What in the name of Christ is going the fuck on?!” He demanded.

“ _Negan?”_ Came Simon's response through the radio a moment later as well as the sound of gun fire.

“Yeah. Now answer the motherfucking question!” 

“ _The heard that Mick's team found, they changed course and came straight at us. We lead 'em away, shouldn't have happened. Now they're blocking us in. We were getting ready for a run when they all congregated, the weight took down the fucking fence! We can't get out and you can't get in. This goes on much longer and they'll take down the doors.”_

“Motherfucking shit!” Negan shoved his radio back onto his belt. “Lee-” She cut him off. 

“Already on it. Dwight take the truck to Lincoln and stay there.” 

“But-”

“Do as I fucking say!”

With that Lee hopped out of the truck, drew her weapons and made her way to the Jeep ahead of them that Hal, Connor and Evan were in.

“Hey Dwight.” Negan said a little too calmly.

“Yeah?”

“Question her again and I'll iron the other half of your face, get some fucking symmetry back in that thing.” He looked down to the boy with a much softer expression. “Kid, I'm gonna need Lucille back.”

Hayden handed the bat over, tears in his eyes.

“Are we all going to die?” He asked.

“Hell no, kid. You remember us talking about you been brave for your Mom?” The boy nodded sadly. “Well you're gonna have to start that now.”

Negan grabbed Lucille and raced out of the truck towards Lee and her men.

“... cut down as many as you can and then when I give you the signal I want you in the buildings across from the Sanctuary out of sight. Understood?”

They all nodded.

“What's the signal, boss?” Asked Hal as he took out a dead bastard heading towards Connor.

“Oh trust me, you'll fucking know it when you hear it.”

Negan came to a stop beside Lee. “How can you run and plot at the same time? It's been thirty fucking seconds and you have a goddamn plan?”

Lee's men fanned out taking out as many of the herd as they could.

“Of course.” She shrugged as though it were nothing then promptly shot a dead bastard that dared hear her Jeep.

“Shit, I want to fuck you so fucking much right now!” 

She rolled her eyes. “We live and you can do whatever you want to me.” With that she jumped into the Jeep and pulled the glove box open to examine the CDs, Negan joined her and grabbed his radio. 

“Nice plan.” He praised Lee before raising his mouth. “Simon, cease fucking fire and retreat inside.”

Lee selected a CD and put it into the stereo. She cranked up the volume and heavy beats rained out, Hal whistled and everyone started to retreat into the abandoned buildings across from the Sanctuary. She started the car and slowly began to lure the walkers away. Lyrics poured out of the stereo drawing the dead's attention and Negan couldn't help but grin as Lee sang along in German. 

 

Getadelt wird wer Schmerzen kennt   
Vom Feuer das die Haut verbrennt  
Ich werfe ein Licht   
In mein Gesicht  
Mein heißer Schrei  
Feuer frei

 

_Bang bang  
Bang bang_

 

The vehicle moved so slowly pulling each one of deadites away from their murderous intent and instead into following them . Hal, Evan and Connor ventured out to pick off any stragglers that weren't  lured off away from the Sanctuary by Negan and Yulia. She had no set destination in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs used are Wayfairing Stranger, the Johnny Cash version and Feuer Frei by Rammstein.


	11. Roadtrip

 

After  several hours of insolently slow driving and Lee had turned down the volume so as it was no longer deafening, the herd would continue to follow  now simply because they could see them. Lee had one hand on the while and the other rested on the door propping her head up, while Negan was slumped back in the passenger seat with Lucille rested against his knee. 

“You didn't have to come with me, you know.” She said softly. 

“You think I'm gonna pass up the opportunity to go on a fucking road trip with you?” He jested, Lee just smirked at him. “And besides this is all your play, you had one before I did.”

T he Russian woman shrugged. “You were only a few seconds behind me and that was because of the kid.” There was a split second pause. “You hide it very well you know.” 

Negan furrowed his brow and turned to look at her, the dead continued to gargle and growl behind them. 

“That you're a good man. You don't go about it in a good way but you're a good man.” If she wasn't mistaken Negan looked uncomfortable. 

“I'm fucking awesome! Way more than good. But I get what you mean, sexy, I'm a terrible fucking person, but I accepted that a long time ago so that makes me better than most people.” 

“Is your ass jealous of all that shit that comes out of your mouth?” 

“You always so fucking sarcastic, pussycat?” 

“I'm not always sarcastic, sometimes I'm sleeping.”

It's quite clear he didn't want anyone to start analysing the flamboyance he wore as a second skin. It wasn't a lie exactly, just an amped up version of the real him, see how quiet and gentle he could truly be,  still she let the subject drop and instead turned it to the heard behind them  as they continued to drive along the dusty road. 

“How could that many walkers follow a single group of Saviours back? Is it their first day?”

Negan snorted. “That's what I plan to fucking find out. Gun fire will have drawn more, but that doesn't change the fucking fact this fuckary sure as shit shouldn't have happened. And where the fuck are you going?” 

“Not a fucking clue.” Said the Russian. “I just started driving.” 

“Head up to the freeway. We get those fuckers up there and drive off. They'll be funnelled out of the area. We'll have to wait for the whole fucking heard out.” 

L ee obeyed, and took the next left while Negan put his feet u p and basked in the sun as though nothing could phase him.  Save for the army of undead behind the Jeep it was a pleasant day  especially now the  hazardous heat had w or n off. 

“Fucking typical isn't it? All I fucking wanted was to fuck you and get a cup of coffee. Now I gotta deal with all this shit.” 

“Ahh, what a shame, you're impressive cock has to stay in your pants for a while longer.” She said sarcastically which just earned a laugh from Negan. 

“But you admit it's _impressive._ ” He wiggled his eyebrows teasingly at her.

“нет (no), just stroking your ego.” The herd continued to growl, a constant depressing symphony.

“You could stroke something else.”

The pair chuckled at that. He knew he didn't have to think when he came to Lee, she'd either find what he said funny or wouldn't give a shit. In search of something to do the leather clad man yanked open the glove box and pulled out Lee's selection of CDs. 

“There's a lot of fucking Rammstein here. You're a Russian listening to German rock music?” 

Lee shrugged. “Why not? You should learn German, some of Till Lindemann 's lyrics are quite thought provoking.  Ohne dich, kann ich nicht sein ohne dich.” She quoted. 

“What's that mean?”

He'd instantly recognised it as German but hadn't got a clue what she'd said. Negan had only ever had a few French lessons as a kid, he'd actually been reasonably good at it but Negan had been too focused on sports at the time. 

“It means; without you, I cannot be without you.”

“You sound like you've got a thing about this Till dude.” He accused, eyes on Lucille.

Lee hummed in delight. “Who wouldn't? Till Lindemann, Richard Kruspe and me, it would be like a perfect German sandwich.” 

“Firstly, fucking ew, I don't wanna be thinking about sweaty ass men. Secondly you're not German.”

“Eh, that's beside the point.” He finally looked up at her with an unimpressed expression. “What? I have a thing for older men that are badboys, hence you.” That got a smirk out of him. “And anyway, you never saw them in suits. I love a man in a suit.” 

He'd need to remember that. He sighed, the growls and gargles a few feet behind them had started to ware on Negan, the incessant hubbub and never-ending pursuit of flesh. After a while he actually started to nod off, his head slumped forward, his eyes slipped shut and slumber started to take him. Lee's accented voice snapped him out of it, head jerking up.

“They're branching off.”

Negan peered around to see five or so of the dead wandering off towards the woods that lined the road.  Lee pulled her Ruger from her thigh holster but Negan raised his hand silently telling her no.  The sun had started to hint that it would be going down soon, Negan really hoped they'd be free of the heard before that. 

“Don't go wasting the ammo, Yulia, me and Lucille will handle the pricks.” He hopped out of the car then, Lee was driving so slowly that it was easy just to step out. Negan picked up Lucille and marched off towards the dead while straightening his leather jacket. “You keep driving, котик. (pussycat) Daddy will be back in a fucking minute.” 

Lee watched him through the rear-view mirror wander off to take out the rogue walkers. Her head snapped around when one of the dead bastards jumped at Negan and knocked him into the woods, that wasn't how he was going to go out, blindsided by a biter. She couldn't see him, the grass was too long and the trees too thick. In an instant she slammed the brakes on and reached for her guns. 

“Negan!” 

The very next thing she saw was the deadite getting kicked back onto the dusty road and Lucille coming down to cave its skull in. Negan grinned over at her and gave her a small salute, then gestured for her to keep driving before waltzing back into the woods. Lee obeyed, the spark of fear dissipating.

It took him about fifteen minutes to appear from the tree line and was quite some distance away, he shook the blood from Lucille then jogged back to the car somewhat awkwardly. As soon as he was back in the Jeep Lee noticed he had something tucked inside his leather jacket. Lucille was rested on the back seat then Negan leaned over so as Lee could see what he'd brought back. 

“Found you a fucking present.”

Inside was a small ball of fuzz that was instantly recognisable as a puppy, small and cuddled into Negan's strong chest. A tiny German Shepherd, maybe six to seven weeks old. He looked smaller of course, not much food around in the apocalypse. 

“Awwww!” Exclaimed the Russian but came to a sudden and abrupt stop when she realised she'd just destroyed her badass persona.

“The mother's dead, so are the other pups. This little guy's barking was drawing the dead fuckers in. Poor thing's scared shitless. Ain't ya fella?” He tickled the puppy's ears.

“How did the mother live long enough to get pregnant let alone have the litter?” Lee asked with puzzlement. “I haven't seen a dog in ages.”

“Nah, you see 'em occasionally but they're feral as shit. This one's too young for that. So, a puppy for my pussycat.” Negan chuckled at his own joke while Lee just rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the road. “Another quarter mile and the back of the heard will be on the freeway. We'll find somewhere to wait out the dead motherfuckers. Don't want to risk luring the bastards back with us.” 

He was right, another quarter mile and they'd speed off out of sight and find somewhere to get some sleep.

“Take a right.” Negan said a short while later and they headed off away from the dead. 

“Do you even know where the fuck we're going?” Lee asked in an a delicate accent.

“Of course I fucking do.” Responded the Savior leader while tickling the puppy's ears. “Two miles that way-” he pointed off to the west “-is a school that's home to the best baseball team in the state, well, was.”

Lee slammed on the breaks and just looked at him with a smirk.

“Jesus Christ! You were a fucking coach!” Negan glared at her. “So goddamn much makes sense now.”

“Just fucking drive.” He ordered sternly. “And don't read so much into shit you don't under-fucking-stand.”

Of course Lee wasn't scared of his dominant tone and just carried on talking, though she did start to drive once more.

“It explains why you are so good with little kids but hate teens.”

Negan fixed her with a glare and Lee decided to indulge him, they didn't speak again until he started to direct her towards what looked to have been a rather nice, though small, gated community once upon a time. Could have been a decent outpost but it wasn't worth the effort and resources that would be required to rebuild it.

“Only the posh fuckers could afford to like up here.” He told her as she drove through the gate. “But those shitheads are all dead now and I want a fucking bed for the night.” 

Eventually they came to a house that seemed in pretty decent condition and Lee shut off the engine.

“This one really?”

It had gone dark now, the sun cast away so as light rain could take over. She hated the house before her, it was an ugly color and rather ostentatious.

“At least it's a nice color.” He said just for something to say which just got Lee to look at him with a very unimpressed expression.

“Да (yes), tell that to the hundreds of tiny birds that have cracked their heads open on this sky colored death trap.” Negan smirked as he got out the car, the puppy all wrapped up in his jacket and somewhat awkwardly reached down to retrieve Lucille. “I got her.” 

“Well ain't you a Sweetheart.”

Frankly Lee just wanted some sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics used are 'Ohne Dich' by Rammstein which means Without You.


	12. Conversation By Candlelight

  
Negan watched out for biters while Lee gathered up their stuff and picked up Lucille, she was still bloody but Lee knew it wouldn't take long for him to start cleaning her. She was the only person who would refer to Lucille as 'she' and 'her' and he was actually grateful for that in a strange sort of way. Negan followed the Russian up to the house's front door, thankfully Lee found it open and just walked in only to close it again once Negan was inside.   
  
The house was stuffy, but strangely not that dusty, Lee turned to her left and headed into what turned out to be the living room and set their things down on the coffee table save for Lucille who she rested against the beige couch. There were pictures of a bald man on the walls shaking hands with random other people but nothing that looked like friends or family; probably one of those workaholics.   
  
Negan plucked the dozing puppy out of his jacket and pushed him into Yulia's arms then grabbed Lucille.  
  
“You hold him. I'll check the place out.”   
  
She nodded. The puppy snuggled into Lee's chest searching out her warmth as the Savior leader wandered off out of sight, the faint sound of a whistle being the only evidence he'd ever been there to begin with.   
  
“Приве́т (hi).”   
  
She tickled the puppy's ears lovingly. He was basically a ball of fuzz with ears and a tail, so fucking cute. Suddenly, from the back of the house, Negan yelled. Lee's head snapped up, her hand void of puppy already on her Ruger.  
  
“Oh shit!” A huge bang came after that.  
  
“You dead?” She called out hoping she wasn't going to have to go in all guns blazing.   
  
“Not yet, котик (pussycat). It'll take more than that!” Negan called back which let Lee relax again. “Fucker just came out of fucking nowhere!”   
  
It all went quiet after that so Lee assumed he'd gone back to clearing the house. The whole time he was gone Lee cuddled the puppy in her arms. He was obviously hungry, there was some jerky in the duffel bag she'd brought in, of course that wasn't the best meal for a puppy – especially one so young – but it was the best she could offer the little thing. The German Shepherd was warm and coated in fuzz, his little front paws rested over her breast as he snuggled into her as though she were his mother.    
  
Lee heard Negan coming back, heavy boots on the old floorboards, she looked up to find him stood there with Lucille tucked under his arm while he spooned peanut butter into his mouth.   
  
She smirked. “Sweet tooth?”   
  
“It's a curse.” He shot back before licking the spoon clean almost sinfully. “The pantry is fucking full of untapped jars and cans of food.”   
  
“Anything that the dog can eat?” She asked while gesturing to the animal.   
  
“Not a fucking clue, I saw peanut butter and developed fucking tunnel vision.” He smirked again, practically a permanent thing for Negan.  
  
“Where is the pantry?” Lee rose to her feet.   
  
“All the way down the hall and take a left.”

  
Yulia did just that and Negan hadn't been lying, the pantry was full of stuff. Some looked scavenged, other bits appeared to have been grown. Then she saw the biter that she'd heard Negan kill a short time earlier laying in the archway to the dining room; it's head caved in. He'd not long turned, that explains why there's no dust, he's been living here, muttered Lee's mind. She turned her attention back to the pantry and searched around the pantry until she found a transparent plastic tub down on the bottom shelf.   
  
“Is that chicken?” She asked the puppy.  
  
Lee picked it up and awkwardly shuffled the dog into one arm so as she could open the plastic pot. It smelt fresh, the dead man really hadn't turned that long ago. She put the lid back on and grabbed a bowl from the kitchen sink that looked pretty clean and went back to Negan in the living room. He wasn't there and nor was Lucille or the jar of peanut butter.   
  
“Negan?” She called out.  
  
“Up here, Yulia.” He replied from upstairs, obviously he'd been to check out the rest of the house.   
  
Lee followed him up the stairs once she'd thrown the bags over her shoulder, she felt like a mother carrying her infant and diaper back about. Somehow it was darker upstairs than down, but a faint orange glow caught her attention coming form a room at the end of the hall and headed for it. Inside she found a four-poster bed and Negan in nothing but his black boxer briefs wiping blood from Lucille with a cloth that looked to have come from the bathroom. The orange glow came from an army of candles that Negan had taken it upon himself to light.  
  
“You and Lucille having a romantic moment?” Lee asked as she set her bag down on the Ottoman at the end of the bed and then did the same with the dog. She'd meant her comment as a joke but she saw the way his shoulders tensed so she back peddled. “I'm sorry.”   
  
Negan just tossed the cloth down and rose to his feet as he stowed Lucille on his naked shoulder, he looked far less imposing in just his boxer briefs; Lee did like the view though.   
  
“Turns out that dead fucker bordered on some kind of fucking prepper for TEOTWAWKI.”    
  
“What?”   
  
“You know, the end of the world as we know it, and all that shit. Who'd have thought those shitheads would be fucking right?”   
  
“Them?” She suggested blankly.   
  
Negan shrugged. “Point taken.” He cleared his throat. “Any-fucking-way, There's a shit load of candles so I thought I'd go ahead and light the fucking place up. Get some bloody warmth in here-”  
  
“Night is usually dark, it's just a poorly lit version of day.” Negan ignored her. 

  
“-and clean off my dirty girl.”   
  
“I thought you liked your girls dirty.” Lee teased which got another of those trademark smirks from the older man.   
  
“You sayin' you're my girl?”   
  
Lee didn't respond to that and instead busied herself with getting the puppy something to eat, she opened the plastic pot and shredded the chicken down into tiny pieces. She pushed it under the German Shepherd's nose then grabbed a canteen from one of the duffel bags and poured some water into the bowl she'd brought up with her and set that down for the small creature as well.   
  
“There you go, little boy.”   
  
The dog was a little awkward – had every right to be after the day it had gone through – but soon started to eat the chicken and lap at the water. Once the puppy was settled and seemingly happy Lee took off her tailcoat and set it down beside Negan's leather jacket and glove while the man himself lay down on the bed, Lucille right beside the bed and ready to attack if needed.   
  
“Mmm, sexy little striptease.”   
  
Negan watched hungrily as Lee took off her clothes until only her underwear remained. She set her guns down on the side table while her knife and the new one she'd taken from the store group went under her pillow. She tickled the puppy's head and made sure he had enough water only to turn towards the bed to see Negan grinning at her.   
  
“Come here.” He ordered in a deep tone. God, she loved that voice.   
  
Yulia obeyed and crawled onto the bed towards the Savior leader, she straddled him, her green eyes never left his hazel ones. Negan grapped the back of her head and pulled Lee down into a harsh kiss as was their way, then, without warning, flipped them so as she was pinned to the bed with Negan towering over her. He sat up on his haunches and reached down to the Ottoman at the end of the bed so as he could reach into his a pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out a condom. Lee looked surprised at that.   
  
“You keep condoms in your jacket?”   
  
“What? They're always in my wives rooms but when it comes to you it's more I fuck you wherever I can so I though this was a good idea. I'm not in the habit of knocking my fucking wives up.” He ripped open the small packet.   
  
“I'm not one of your wives.” Negan didn't miss a beat.   
  
“Or my Lieutenants.”   
  
He clearly didn't want to talk anymore because as soon as the condom was on Negan was forcing her thighs apart, he slipped her panties down her legs and teased her with his fingers for a few moments but his desperate urge to be inside her had him thrusting into her wet heat soon after. There wasn't to be any real foreplay as was usual with the bearded man, this was fucking, hard and needy.   
  
Lee liked the more primal side of Negan and purred, her hips meeting his in an almost perfect rhythm. Negan was like a walking guilty pleasure, every inch of him was heaven and she couldn't resist throwing herself into his touch. Firm hands on her thighs, skin glistening in the orange candle glow, powerful gasps and moans to the point neither were sure who released them. When Negan touched her the evils of the world fell away until all that remained was pleasure, the stayed in their graves rather than roaming the world in search of flesh, people didn't kill each other over scraps of mouldy food, none of that existed when he touched her. Everyone believed Lee to be a stubborn and brave woman but that was an act, not like Negan's, his act was just an amped up version of his real personality, no, in truth on the inside Lee was a scared little girl who just wanted her brother back. When her mother had killed herself her father, Roman, had been her protector but with him and Illya gone Lee had withdrawn, slipped on her mask. Negan though, Negan actually made her feel safe.   
  
When she reached up to comb her hands through his short black hair Negan grabbed Yulia's wrists and pinned them to the bed, his thrusts grew erratic as he neared his climax. The Russian arched her back into Negan's touch, so close, so near, so desperate. She needed this, wanted this, craved this. With a cry Lee came, a euphoric wave crashed over her and her walls clamped down on the Savior leader.   
  
“Fuck! Yulia!”   
  
Negan came with a harsh grunt, his grip on Lee's wrists almost painful. He collapsed beside her on the bed as the last of the candles started to go out leaving the room in darkness and scented with, sex, sweat and wisps of smoke. The condom was cast away into a nearby trash can and slence rained for a moment. Negan propped an arm behind his head and just gazed up at the black ceiling; his chest rose and feel as deprived lungs sucked in much needed oxygen.  
  
“Not saying my wives are shit at fucking but Christ, fucking you is amazing!”   
  
Negan chuckled to himself but it stopped dead when Lee snuggled into his side, she'd never been a cuddler before and it actually threw him for a moment.   
  
“You're not so bad yourself.”   
  
“I'm fucking epic!” A pause. “You're going to have to wear a little black dress for me at some point.”   
  
“Still not your wife, we've been through this.”  
  
They had yes, and for the life of him Negan couldn't figure the fuck out why she was so against his wives or being one. The bearded man decided it was best to just brush over that for the time being.   
  
“Doesn't stop you wearing the dress for me.”   
  
He could imagine it now, the image sat at the front of his mind like a tease. A black a-line dress with flowing skirt that ended at her mid thigh, bardot sleeves all of which detailed with floral lace. Legs utterly naked until they reached her feet adorned in red sued heels with little ankle straps, the perfect bold slash of color. The way her hair would flow around her naked shoulders drawing attention to those impossibly green eyes. Christ, the thought almost had him hard again.   
  
“Maybe for your birthday.” She jested, her head rested on his chest.   
  
“Fuck knows when that is-”   
  
“That's why I said it.” She interrupted. “None of us know the date or ages anymore.”   
  
Negan looked her over for a moment.   
  
“I'd say you're about twenty-three.”   
  
She smiled pleased with his answer. “нет (no), I'm older than that. Twenty-five or twenty-six maybe.”   
  
“You look younger. I think I'm about fifty-one, shit, maybe even fifty-two.” He'd not thought about something as trivial as his age in a long time.   
  
“Old man.”   
  
A slap came down hard on her ass, it stung but still had Lee biting her lip.   
  
“Hey! Less of the fucking old.” There was a momentary pause where he grinned to himself. “And that would mean you're fucking an old man.”   
  
Lee rolled onto her side and forced Negan to all but bloody spoon her, strong arms wrapped around her slender frame.   
  
“Not a surprise, I've always had a thing for older men.” He leaned down to press a kiss to her exposed shoulder.   
  
“Really?” He'd heard her mention that during their conversation about her taste in music but he'd though it had been more to do with the fact those men were rock stars.  “You got a suppressed Daddy Kink?” A hand raked up her thigh, if she did he'd have been overjoyed.   
  
“Let's put it this way, I've never had sex with a man under the age of forty-five. The first time I had sex it was very illegal.”   
  
Negan's smile just grew, eyes glinting in the darkness. Both enjoyed the warmth of another person beside them but neither voiced it.   
  
“That's my naughty little slut. Let me fucking guess, hot for teacher?”   
  
“You'd like that wouldn't you, Coach.” She could feel the spark of annoyance that ran through him. “нет (no), the safecracker working for my father. He was good at his job, specialised in lock manipulation and scoping. He kept saying he could get into anything, turned out that included Roman Stravinsky's fifteen year old daughter.”   
  
Negan roared with laughter. “Shit girl, what did dear ol' dad do?”   
  
“Nothing. Had he known he would have cut Aleksandr's cock off and fed it to him.”   
  
Some would probably assume Lee to have been exaggerating, those people had never met Roman Stravinsky.   
  
“Nice.” Remarked Negan. “I may think the story is funny but if that were my fucking fifteen year old little girl, I'd do exactly the fucking same.”   
  
“Told you that you and my father would have gotten along.”   
  
Negan knew how Lee got when she slipped into thoughts of her father and made quick work to pull her out of that headspace.   
  
“I've been meaning to fucking ask, what sort of shit did you actually steal? You didn't go around kidnapping kids or something did ya?”  
  
“Firstly; нет (no). Secondly: it's procure not steal.”  
  
“Whatever.”   
  
Lee ignores him and instead answered his question.   
  
“We took whatever our client wanted us to; documents, jewellery, statues, paintings... and on one occasion rubber duck.”   
  
Negan furrowed his brow in puzzlement.   
  
“So you're Hudson Hawk.”   
  
“I can't sing, hanging upside down to pick a lock, that I can do. Singing? Нет (no).”  
  
“Thought you said it wasn't like all that Oceans eleven shit, hanging upside down to pick a lot is kinda Oceans-y.”   
  
“Hmm, George Clooney.”   
  
“Seriously woman, what is it with chicks and fucking Clooney?”   
  
“Beside the fact he was a silver fox and really knew how to wear a suit?”   
  
“You've not seen me in a suit.” He teased, large hands snaked around Lee to pull her closer so her back was pressed to his chest; warm and comforting.   
  
“Ooh, is that a little black dress for me and a suit for you? Like the prom.”   
  
“Shit no.” Negan snarled. “I fucking hated those things. Kids thinking it was the greatest party fucking ever, that the could do as the goddamn pleased.”   
  
“Alright I thing that's enough out of you, I'm tired as hell. Can we go to sleep now please, Coach Negan?”   
  
“Sure.” He couldn't deny that sleep was calling him. “We'll head back at first light with all that shit downstairs. I'm getting fucking déjà vu, like we've done this be-fucking-fore.”   
  
In a drowsy tone Lee answered him, eyes closed with Negan's arms around her.   
  
“Less mysteries of the cosmos and more sleeping.”   
  
That sarcasm and deadpan comments just didn't end and Negan loved it. 


	13. Dreams And Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally going to write all the speech of this first scene in Russian but then thought it would look too odd on the page so I'm doing it all in italics instead.

  
  
Viktor Kournikova's home was a beautiful mansion in St. Petersburg, ostentatious and full of every expensive item the old man could find. He'd been an avid collector for most of his life and was one of the richest men in Russia. The Stravinsky's had been hired several times by Kournikova to procure certain artifacts over the years, most recent being Chez Tortoni by Edouard Manet. This time though they were there to take.   
  
Kournikova's home had been plunged into darkness hours earlier and the collector had retired to his bed up on the fourth floor, everything was quiet. A few guards went about their rounds on the property grounds and inside the house but other than that all was quiet. It would have been practically impossible for Yulia and her younger brother, Kirill, to enter had they not been their several times before with their father and brothers. 'A quick in and out' that was what thief father had said but there was nothing quick about it.   
  
The siblings set to work, it was just a small job their father had sent them on while he was in France with Vadim. All they had to do was get in, steal Tucker's Cross from its display then head to Copenhagen where they would hand it over to Ulf Mikkelsen and collect the rest of their payment. Once all that was done they'd return home to the states where their father would no doubt set about finding a new job for his children.    
  
Yulia looked around the dark, wood-paneled room, scanned through display case after display case in search of her prize while Kirill meandered around after her, green eyes seemingly uninterested. The display cases were made of a dark mahogany lined up in neat rows, some filled with tiny artifacts others home to larger things. The whole room was full of priceless artefacts, but the siblings only looked them over briefly with a spark of light from her little flashlight before moving on to the next case. They'd assumed it to be on display but Tucker's Cross was nowhere to be seen, as a result, Kirll had started picking each of the locked cupboards at the back of the room.   
  
“ _This is taking too long_.” Muttered  Yulia to herself as she raked her eyes over the last display case.  
  
“ _Yeah_.” Her little brother whispered back from his place on the floor.  
  
Lee had found the entire job tedious, they weren't even getting paid that well. Still, her father had taken the job from Ulf Mikkelsen so that was what the had to do.   
  
“ _Got anything yet_?” She asked while looking over the bookshelves.  
  
“ _No_.”  
  
Lee stopped at that and turned to face her little brother, Kirill had always been a quiet one but this was bloody ridiculous; it wasn't like him. She dropped down next to the dark-haired man and just looked at him for a moment, Kirill grew tense.   
  
“ _What's wrong, Kirill_ _? Why are you acting so strange?_ ”   
  
Kirill sighed, his arms dropped into his lap with a muffled thud and he started to fiddle with his lockpicks.   
  
“ _I don't want to do this anymore, Sis_.” Yulia's brow furrowed. “ _The constant sneaking around and taking things. I hate it. This is father's world, you and Illya fit into it but we don't._”   
  
“ _You mean Vadim_?”  Kirill nodded, his handsome features were tense and seemingly upset. “ _Why didn't you just say?_ ”  
  
“ _You've met father right? He loves this criminal extraordinaire shit, it's who he is and he had his heart set on passing this fucking business on to us_.”  
  
“ _Why do you want to stop? You're good at what we do, you can pick a lock faster than I can_.”  
  
Kirill sighed again. “ _We don't have any friends_.” Lee opened her mouth to disagree but  Kirill got there first. “ _That isn't a criminal. You can't, because he have no normal friends. I don't want to spend my life stealing stuff knowing that one wrong move and we're either in prison or dead. I'm not like you and Illya... where is Illya anyway, he was suppose to come with us_.”    
  
Lee shrugged. “He found some hot guy, you know what he's like, he'll throw himself at the sexiest man he can find. Now stop avoiding the subject.”  
  
“ _I'm not avoiding it. I want to-_ ”  
  
He cut himself off, but Lee lay her hand on his shoulder in quiet comfort. This wasn't the best place for such a conversation – any conversation really – but she could sense that Kirill needed to get it out.   
  
“ _What do you want to do,_ Kirill?” She asked quietly.   
  
“ _... I want to paint._ ” Finally he looked up to his older sister. “ _I make all the forgeries for us, always copying someone else's work. I want to make something not just copy it. And Vadim-_” She cut him off.   
  
“ _Wants to be a vet, yeah I know. That's all he's wanted since he was six and the dog got put down.”_  
  
_“You're not mad?_ ” Kirill asked seemingly uncertain.  
  
_“Of course not, your my brother. This world isn't for everyone, me and Illya fit into it so well because we're the eldest and when Mom killed herself us and that world were all he had. You and Vadim got to be kids longer than we did_.”   
  
There was quiet for a moment, it stretched on between them but only when it started to become awkward did Kirill speak.   
  
“ _You hate her don't you? Mom. You hate her._ ”  
  
Lee did everything she could to force herself to remain stoic, she looked down to the floor for a moment and brushed non-existent creases from her beloved tailcoat. Kirill – bless his heart – just waited patiently for his big sister to respond.   
  
“ _I understand why she did what she did, I know Zhukov was her favourite, and I know she was in pain. But yes, I hate her. If we didn't have photographs Vadim wouldn't even know what she looked like, he was so young. You didn't find her hanging there. It's not like television-_ ” she mused, eyes staring off at the walls “- _her face it was_ -” She cut herself off. “ _You don't need to know that_.”  
  
This wasn't the time nor the place, they had to find that bloody gold cross and get the hell out before the guards came back around, she couldn't keep the cameras on a loop forever. She made to walk away by Kirill grabbed her hand, he had large hands like their father but was lean and tall like Illya.   
  
_“Illya said once that she said something to you and him before she hung herself. He was angry at the time and instantly avoided the subject. I remember bits of that day, I remember the two of you being so quiet like you were trying not to cry. What did she say to you?_ ”  
  
“ _No, Kirill. We're not going to ever tell you that... because it's horrible._”   
  
Suddenly the doors were thrown open and the dead slithered in, gnashing teeth and hands shrilled up like the claws of a bird, eyes white and dead. Kirill jumped back against the wall as more poured in from the large windows, they slammed against the hardwood floor and crawled over one another in their quest for flesh. Lee reached for her guns but her thigh holsters weren't there; no guns, no knives, no nothing. They were surrounded, no escape, no chance for survival.   
  
“Yulia!”  
  
The dead ripped Kirill from her side she clung onto him for dear life but the wall of deadites was too big, to strong, to hungry.   
  
“Lee!”  
  
She clawed at her baby brother desperate to get him back.  
  
“Lee!”  
  
That wasn't her brother's voice.  
  
“котик! (pussycat!) Wake the fuck up!”   
  
~X~  
  
“котик! (pussycat!) Wake the fuck up!” Negan shook Lee almost violently to force her awake.   
  
Lee awoke to a dark figure over her, a tight grip on her shoulders and just reacted mind still lost in her dream. She grabbed one of the knives under her pillow and had it up against the shadow's throat in less than a second, instantly the figure put it's hands up in surrender.  
  
“Yulia, it's me. It's Negan, Sweetheart.”   
  
“Negan?”  
  
If she was questioning herself or him neither of them knew, but the Russian calmed down. Lee's breathing slowed to something that resembled normal as she sat herself up, hair everywhere, and rested her head in her hands; the knife dropped to the bed with an unceremonious thump.  
  
“It was just a fucking dream.” Negan tried to comfort her. “You're safe.” His voice was softer than she'd grown used to. “You were dreaming about Kirill and your Mom, right?” Her eyes snapped to look at him. “You were talking in your sleep.”   
  
Lee breathed out a half-hearted laugh, it sounded more like a sigh in all honesty.  
  
“I don't dream that often, hardly ever in fact, but on the rare occasion I do it's some twisted memory. I'm sorry I woke you up, Negan.”   
  
“Oh fuck that, котик (pussycat), do I look like I need that much beauty sleep?”  
  
Lee laughed at that, she loved the stupid crap he came out with, always accompanied with a smug smirk and a devilish twinkle in his hazel eyes. With a soft smile the raven-haired beauty leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“For fucking what?” He asked, genuinely curious.  
  
“For not just throwing a pillow at me and telling me to shut up.”  
  
Negan lay back down and pulled Lee with him, he'd enjoyed her sleeping in his arms, actually made him sleep better.   
  
“You can tell me about it, you know. You kept going on about not telling someone something, what was it? Might make you fucking feel better if you tell me.”  
  
“Or it might make me feel much worse.”  
  
That was just an excuse and they both knew it. Darkness still clung to the room, and unfortunately the rain had really set in, it pounded against the window and roof as though it had a vendetta with the sky colored house.  
  
“Come on, just fucking tell me, котик (pussycat). I'm not your bloody brother, you can tell me. It was something your Mom said to ya, right?”   
  
How much had she been saying in her sleep? How long had she been talking? How long had Negan been fucking listening?   
  
Lee sighed, Negan wasn't going to drop the subject and she knew it. And who knew, maybe Negan was right and telling him would make her feel better.  
  
“... It was a few hours before my mother killed herself. Vadim was asleep in his crib, Kirill was playing or drawing or something I don't remember. Illya and I though, we wanted to make her happy again. We all missed Zhukov but we thought if we could be well behaved and spend time with her she'd be happy again. Father was finalising something, I don't really remember much of that day before she died.”   
  
She went silent for a moment, Lee had never opened up to someone about her mother, never really spoke of her if she could help it but Negan seemed to have this way of making her talk. He was the one person people would think was a horrible listener – loved the sound of his own voice too much – but Lee had seen him quiet and content, she'd seen him wait patiently and provide comfort.   
  
“Go on.” His voice gentle and calm.  
  
“Illya wanted to go ask her to read to us, thought it would be nice for the three of us, so we went to her room. Me and Illya were rarely apart,” she shrugged “twin thing. We went in, asked her and before Illya could even finish his sentence she said нет (no), didn't even consider it. That was when she said it... a few hours later Vadim woke up so we went to tell Mother that he was hungry and we found her hanging.”   
  
“Shit, baby girl, if your Dad wasn't there surly she knew you'd fucking find her?”  
  
Negan seemed horrified in a Negany sort of way, a mix of outrage and anger directed at a long dead woman.   
  
“Oh, she knew.”  
  
Lee didn't look at him, didn't even glance up, just kept her eyes on the puppy's ears poking up from the Ottoman.  
  
“What did she fucking say to you though? You still haven't fucking told me.”  
  
Lee took a breath, seemed he'd noticed her sidestepping that. She cuddled into his side, his warmth a comfort to her and was silent for a long time. Only when Negan thought he'd have to ask again did she finally speak.  
  
“She... she told us we weren't enough and to stop trying.”  
  
“She did fucking what?” That outrage was back. “Who the fuck says that to their own goddamn kids? You've lost one kid why the hell just throw away the others?”  
  
“I have no clue what was going on in her head. I don't really care. Towards the end she paid more attention to her dresses than she did the four of us.”  
  
“Shit girl, I said it be-fucking-fore and I'll say it again, no fucking wonder you are the way you are.” Then something clicked in his head. “Wait, is that why you don't like my wives? Because in some fucked up way they remind you of your Mom?”  
  
Lee shrugged, maybe that was it, she'd never put too much real thought into why she hated the wives.  
  
“Can we stop talking about this please?” She asked into his chest.  
  
Negan nodded and let out a hum, he knew if he wanted to know more and more about the Russian at his side he'd need to do it slowly, chip away at her until he had all the story. She was the only woman he'd met whose life actually seemed to have gotten better after the dead rose up.   
  
“Sure, котик (pussycat), go back to sleep.”   
  
It took her a while but eventuality Lee did.  
  
~X~  
  
The next morning Lee awoke to two things, the first was sun creeping in through the old curtains, a quiet and gentle thing while the second was Negan's deep voice, far louder.   
  
“You slept on my fucking coat!”  
  
Lee sat up to see the puppy curled up inside Negan's leather jacket looking all cut and adorable, clearly the animal had associated Negan's jacket with safety and comfort after the amount of time he'd spent in their yesterday.   
  
“You brought it on yourself.” She told him with a smile, shame he was already fully dressed, she'd liked the view the previous night.  
  
“Yeah, because I don't have eighteen fucking hands.”  
  
He grabbed the dog and moved him to the bed so he could grab the leather jacket and throw it on. Instantly the puppy was on his little paws and bounded over to Negan with a wagging tail.   
  
“Aww, he thinks you're his Daddy.” She said in jest as she clambered out of bed and started to dress.  
  
Negan was fully aware that she was acting as though last night had never happened and frankly he didn't think it was a good idea, or necessary, to bring the subject up.   
  
“Hey, he's your fucking dog. You're present, remember?” Negan ran a large hand through his dark hair then went to retrieve Lucille.   
  
The pair made quick work of packing up all the food Negan had discovered in the pantry, the whole time the puppy trailed about after them, he'd become far more active after some food, water and a good night of rest. The animal's fear had subsided for the most part when it came to Negan and Lee but every little noise had him cowering.   
  
Negan kept going on about peanut butter being the best bit of their impromptu trip but Yulia was just glad her Jeep had a full tank of gas. The leather clad man insisted on driving them back since Lee had driven the day before which left her sat in the passenger seat with a small puppy cuddled up in her arms.   
  
The trip back seemed to take hours longer than the one out but neither said anything about it. The night's rain had left the air humid and sticky but still Negan insisted on keeping his leather jacket on while Lee had folded her beloved tailcoat and sat it on the back seat, she didn't do well in heat, 'gets hot and gets violent' her father had always said.   
  
Negan slowed the car to a gentle halt when he noticed a rather large – what could only be described as – a splat on the road, it had clearly once been a person or maybe a walker, either way it was dead now with two crows pecking at it. The mess took up most of the road and was actually rather disgusting.   
  
“A murder of crows,” Lee mused to herself “wait, how many crows make up a murder?” She looked to the older man wanting an answer.  
  
“More than that.” He told her, his hazel orbs never leaving the road.  
  
There was a pause for a split second.  
  
“So it's a traffic violation of crows.”  
  
Negan snorted, it was a terrible joke but she didn't often crack them so he just let her have her moment before rounding the dead mess on the road and carrying on towards the Sanctuary. They didn't talk much, well, no, Negan talked, Lee just listened... occasionally. Lee liked quiet, it was almost tranquil in the apocalypse. Only when they were on the last twenty miles did the Russian finally speak more than just a few seconds.   
  
“What are you going to do when we get back? To Simon, I mean.”  
  
Negan chuckled darkly. “Oh me and Simon are gonna have a long fucking chat about being a fucking twat and organising a defence perimeter.” He glanced up at her from the road. “Christ woman, that dog's touched more of your tits than I fucking have.”   
  
“Jealous?” She teased.  
  
“Of a fucking dog?”  
  
Lee rolled her eyes, an all too common occurrence when she was around Negan.    
  
“Just drive, I want a shower.”  
  
“Yes milady,” Negan said in a snarky tone “I didn't fucking realise I was your goddamn chauffeur!”   
  
Lee just smiled at him softly. “Obviously you spent more time staring at my ass than reading your contract.”  
  
Negan chuckled softly to himself, he loved that she could match his wit and sarcasm perfectly. She always had a come back. They should have had their own show.


	14. He Who Casts The First Stone

When they got back to the Sanctuary Negan went straight to the conference room and demanded that Simon joined him, something had set him off within seconds of getting through the gates. Word of the Savior's return spread quickly throughout the whole compound and frankly Lee grew sick of the stares she got as she made her way up to the room Negan had given her in the admiration section. Lee really wanted a shower and some clean clothes, the puppy had snuggled into her chest, it had been a long time since she'd seen something so small and innocent. Just as the Russian Lieutenant got to the top of the stairs and passed the guard, Jose, two of Negan's wives came into view. Specifically Frankie and Tanya. 

“What the hell is that?” Demanded Frankie.

“It's a dog.” Lee deadpanned, she really didn't have time for the wives' crap.

“I can see that, bitch. I mean who the fuck did you get it past Negan?” 

Frankie folded her arms over her chest, it had become clear to just about everyone in Negan's higher ranks that the wives and Yulia hated each other, some had no idea why, others had heard tell of Lee putting a knife to Amber's throat. All dared not question. 

“Easy,” she smiled “Negan gave him to me as a gift.”

“What?” Exclaimed Tanya, she looked the most bitchy of the wives but Lee guessed she was actually quite the opposite. 

“A gift.” She repeated. “A present. Do you need it in another language?”

“Don't go getting fucking smart with us, whore.” Well, Tanya had certainly put on her bitch cap this morning.

“And quit stealing Negan from us.” Said Frankie. “We are his wives not you, you're the bloody side show attraction. The dancing Russian bear.” 

Lee's face grew dark at that and the two wives' smug grins faded to something more akin of fear, they'd seen how close the Russian had come to killing Amber and Negan wasn't there to protect them. The Lieutenant took a single step forwards and Frankie and Tanya backed away instantly, in that moment the wives thought they saw Negan in her eyes. 

“Do you remember what happened the last time you pissed me off? Wouldn't want something worse to happen to one of Negan's pretty little wives, right?” The puppy barked drawing Yulia back to the world and away from the darkness, she tilted her head down to the animal and tickled his ears. “No we wouldn't, Sobaka.”

“Bitch.”

Muttered Frankie when Lee tried to make her way past the two women to her room and Lee lost it, she wasn't in the mood for this crap, needed sleep, a shower and five minutes of goddamn peace and quiet. In a single movement Lee slammed Frankie's head into the hard grey wall. 

“I'm returning your nose, it was balls deep in my fucking business.”

With that she marched off leaving Frankie bleeding and Tanya freaking out. If Lee hadn't been mistaken she'd heard Frankie's nose break.

 

~X~

 

A few hours later after a blissful shower and change of clothes Lee found herself out by the front gate checking on how repairs were going, she had to admit that Negan and Simon could get stuff done when they wanted to. The puppy was cuddled up in her room snoozing so Lee once again had the use of both her hands and a weight off her chest. Some of the dead had gotten loose from the fence while others had been tangled up in it so every now and again there would be a squelch sound when a Savior piked one of them. 

Yulia had been contemplating if there was some way to fully reinforce the fence so as a heard never stood a chance of bringing it down again when Negan burst out of the double metal doors with Lucille gripped tight. Instantly people noticed the anger burning in his eyes and subconsciously backed away from him fearing what he'd do. 

“What the shitting fuck Yulia?!” He yelled, the other Savior's looked somewhat horrified when Negan came to a dead halt in font of the Russian right up in her face. “I told you to stop fucking threatening my goddamn motherfucking wives!” 

“нет (no), you said you'd prefer they stayed alive and they are.”

She'd not known it was possible but Negan got even closer, eyes dark and teeth clenched. 

“Don't fucking play smart with me! I tell you to do something and you fucking do it, you don't go looking for motherfucking loopholes, don't change the goddamn plan! You do as. I. Fucking. Say!”

“How about you teach them not to piss me off?” Lee's voice remained calm and she shrugged a little, she'd pushed Negan before and always gotten him back into a calmed state. “The sluts get to me.” Her plan to try and make him laugh backfired. 

“Did you just fucking back chat me?!”

He growled, he spoke to her as though she were a child, a stupid little girl. All her damn life she'd had men treat her like a child, didn't think she could do her job. If Negan wanted to play it that fucking way she'd give as good as she got. 

“What are you going to do, Negan? Lucille me?” She gestured to the bat still tightly gripped in his gloved hand. “Great, then maybe you could name a knife after me. That's your thing right, naming stuff after dead girls you've fucked.” 

Negan's eye twitched and Lee instantly realised she'd not pushed over the line she'd fucking decimated it. She hadn't meant that but they really were as bad as each other and she'd just had to keep going. It was too late, he'd just been angry before but now there was utter rage. Before Lee could utter a single syllable Negan gripped her by the throat and threw her at the hard, gravely ground. The Saviors just stood there watching, they had no idea what to do. Negan grasped Lee's long raven colored hair and slammed her face into the floor, once, twice, thrice, each time with a level of rage no one had ever seen in the Savior leader. He reached for Lucille but at that moment Lee coughed up blood onto his right boot and Negan seemed to realise what he was doing. Just as quickly as it had started it was over and Negan had essentially fled inside the Sanctuary. 

Lee lay there a moment couching up earthy dust and blood then managed to sit up. There was blood everywhere, her lip and forehead were pouring and there was going to be a shit tonne of bruising but he'd not killed her... and she had to be grateful for that. Hal and Connor were by her side almost instantly, Hal gripped her shoulders as though expecting her to collapse any second.

“Boss?”

She coughed again and spat out yet more crimson. Lee tried to stand but was too disoriented, her head throbbed and blood had dripped into her eyes. She didn't get a second change to stand because Hal pulled her into his muscular arms and all but ran into the Sanctuary and down hallways to Doctor Carson with Connor hot on his tail. All the other Saviors just stood there unsure as to what had just happened, don't abuse women, don't rape, they were Negan's most important rules and they'd just watched him all but pulverize his favourite Lieutenant; the woman they all knew he was having sex with. 

Hal burst through the door to the infirmary nearly scaring the life out of Doctor Carson and sat Lee down on the table while Connor hovered by the door awkwardly, he no doubt expected Negan to appear again. 

“Help her.” Hal ordered the older doctor, his Southern twang thicker than usual.

Doctor Carson hopped to it, either his oath as a doctor spurred him on or he feared the look in Hal's eyes; everyone knew Hal followed the Russian around just waiting for someone to try and hurt her. It took a while but eventuality Carson managed to clean enough of the blood away that he could start disinfecting and stitching her flesh back together, he never said a word. 

“What the fuck did Negan do that for?” Asked Connor, eyes full of shock. “I thought he was against abusing women? Jessi said he made this huge speech about it when her and Videl's group were found.” 

“He's supposed to be.” Growled Hal. “He's a fucking hypocrite.” 

“Shut it!” Instantly the two secondary Lieutenants fell silent, they'd not expected their boss to speak after such violence let alone yell at them. “I'd have done the same.”

Connor opened his mouth to question that, how could she have possibly agreed with what Negan had just done? Carson's voice sounded first though. 

“One of you needs to get me ice, I need to get this bruising down.”

“I'll go.” Said Connor, if Negan did appear in the infirmary the redhead didn't want to be there to see what happened. 

 

~X~

 

As expected Lee's face bruised over horribly, six stitches in her left cheek, eight along her forehead into her hairline while everything else was purple and yellow. Her left eye was terribly bloodshot almost to the point she couldn't see through it and her lip had swelled; only by the grace of God had her nose not been broken.

She'd avoided Negan for a few days and headed back to Lincoln so as he could cool off, some probably thought she'd run away fearing what he'd do but that wasn't true, Lee left because she didn't know how to say sorry. She'd pushed him into breaking his own rules, it was her fault just as much as it had been Negan's, the two were just so alike that they pushed one another until they both blew up. 

“Boss?” Evan's voice pulled Lee from her thoughts and back to the teeny-tiny town that surrounded her. “I think I hear biters.” 

She'd had Ross and a few others scouting out to the west of Lincoln in search of supplies, she wanted to know there wasn't a single can of sardines they'd missed. Ross had done well because in less than a day he'd found a whole bloody town, small but still a town. To be honest it already looked picked over but she'd decided to bite the bullet and go look anyway... it gave her something to do.

“Yeah, I can hear it to, sounds like a lot of them.” Ross agreed.

Ross was practically a stereotypical millennial despite being in his early thirties, his hair was a sandy-brown color all wound up in a man bun and he was by far the tallest of her men, towered over all of them save for Hal and even he was half a head shorter. Truth be told Lee wasn't sure how she'd ever gotten him and Jared confused, they looked, acted and sounded nothing alike, still, Negan had moved Jared to Gavin's unit so that was over and done with. Ross McCormack was a good guy, loyal, and Lee liked to use him as a scout along with Videl, Evan and Connor. That and most people tended to remember a man walking around with a M16. He was one of the fortunate ones, he and his wife, Kayla, had made it to Negan's group in the early days and were still together; there weren't too many intact families any longer. 

“Fine, we'll check it out.” Lee pulled out her suppressed weapons and turned to Koby. “Koby, keep an eye out and make sure all these buildings get searched. Take Videl and Owen.” 

“Will do, boss.”

Lee turned back to Evan, Ross and the sounds of biters,  _here we go again,_ she thought as they headed forwards with the bulk of her men. As they rounded the street to their left they found an old auto body repair shop literally surrounded by the dead. The doors wouldn't hold much longer, there was only one thing that could get the dead's attention that bad... the living. 

“Take them out!”

Yulia ordered and that's just what her men did, knives came out and suppressed weapons came out first killing as many as was possible until they drew too much attention and heavy weapons open fired. Within two minutes the hoard was down, nothing but rotting dead bodies piled up on one another like some sort of mass grave, horrible yet at the same time a rewarding sight. When all the flesh hungry monsters were down a silence washed over the town, nothingness, just utter quiet. Sometimes silence could be a music all of its own. 

“Boss, there are people inside.”

Frankly Hal was stating the obvious but Lee said nothing on the subject, just slipped her guns back into their snug thigh holsters and looked the building over, the dead had really done a number on it, a few more minutes and the glass would have shattered, doors given way. The Russian nodded to Hal, a silent order to bust down what was left of the door and let her play Negan and have her own grand entrance.

Lee's men stormed the building expecting to find weapons trained at their heads but no, instead they found a group of maybe eight people half of which looked ready to die of thirst. They had a hammer and a couple of knives but no firearms, they'd never stood a chance against that amount of biters. 

“You're good, boss.” Called Hal from inside and Lee strutted in, she could see why Negan liked being all over the top. 

The group before her was mainly women the youngest of which was about Lee's age while the men with them were even younger.

“Who are you?” A blonde woman, the eldest, asked with only a hint of fear in her voice; Lee liked this woman.

“Which of you are in charge?”

There was a pause where everyone looked in horror at the thick bruising that coated her face and then a mass of fingers pointed over to a body laying beside a car to their right, head smashed in.

“We had to mercy him.”

“Mercy?” Lee raised an eyebrow.

“He got bit, died, so we made sure he couldn't come back. We gave him mercy.” A pause. “Who are you people?”

“The people who just saved your lives, this is your lucky day.” No one seemed to believe her and Lee couldn't blame them for that. “How would you like to go live somewhere with food, water and medical supplies? A community where violence is not tolerated.”

“Why the hell would you do that for us? What the fuck do you get out of it? Did anyone even teach you English right?”

The youngest of the men sneered, clearly an utter moron but the Sanctuary could find something useful for him to do; maybe without a firearm though since he'd likely take his foot off.

“Заткнись! (shut the hell up). Evan, if he speaks again, shoot him.”

The secondary Lieutenant nodded and aimed his Walther at the idiot. “Yes, boss.” The man's – teenager really – eyes went wide as he stared down the barrel of the gun.

With that the raven-haired beauty turned her attention back to the woman and the rest of her group, she'd not let one dumbass with a trigger happy mouth get to her. 

“To answer his question, we're the Saviors. It's what we do. Now, I've been perfectly polite, my boys saved your lives but I'm not going to stand around here all day so some redneck with an attitude can insult me. I'm being generous.”

“We've heard of you, Saviors, they say you all work for one man.” The blonde woman told them as it finally dawned on her who she was faced with.

“Oh we are.” Lee glanced at her men. “Who are you?!”

“Negan!” They all called back in unison, he'd got them trained so well.

This was starting to get ridiculous, it was a yes or no bloody situation, go with them or stay there and wait to die.

“What is your name?” Lee asked the older women, she'd gotten sick of thinking of her as the blonde.

“Rebecca. The mouthy idiot you have a gun on his my son, Alex and this is my daughters, Charlotte and Anna.” She informed while gesturing to the two youngest women. 

Lee hadn't expected for most of this group to be one single family. 

“Good, now we're getting somewhere, Спасибо (thank you). My name is Yulia. And you're only getting this choice once, come with us, or stay, simple as that, we will not force you. If you want to stay here and die, Rebecca, that's your prerogative.” 

“Still not really a choice though, is it.” Muttered Charlotte from beside her mother. Lee ignored it though.

“We'll go with you.” Rebecca finally agreed.

“Fantastic.” Lee looked to Evan. “Keep an eye on the хуесо́с (cocksucker).” 

She turned to leave the auto body repair shop and return to Koby to see if he'd come across anything useful but something at the back of the shop caught her eye hidden at the back of the room, half covered by a once white sheet. 

“Oh tell me that's what I think it is.”

 

~X~

 

Lee made her way into the conference room to discuss the final repairs to the defences but Negan wasn't there, Simon, Regina and Gavin were as well as Dwight but the boss was nowhere in sight. Without a word she just sat down beside Regina. She'd not long again gotten back from her little supply run and had instantly put the new people into intake. The puppy followed behind her happily, he'd grown amazingly since he'd started getting food and water on a regular basis and the people of the Sanctuary seemed to take comfort in such a cute animal running around. 

“Shit,” began Simon “he really did a number on you.”

Gavin smirked. “You alright there, Comrade?”

“Gavin, say that again and _I'll_ fucking kill you.” Regina gestured to Lee. “She'll be the least of your problems.”

“Спасибо (thank you), Regina.”

“Sure thing, Lee. Assholes need to learn and girls gotta stick together and all that shit.” 

“Where is Negan?” Asked Lee, she hoped Gavin would keep his mouth shut for the foreseeable future. 

“Ah, now that's our problem, Angel.” Lee raised an eyebrow, Simon had never called her that before. “No one has fucking seen him since you got the shit kicked out of you.”

“Is he on a run or in his room?” She asked.

“Don't ya think that was the first fucking place we checked?” Simon shot back. “And we'd know if he left, he'd have told me.”

“Yeah, Simon's right, Negan wouldn't just leave the Sanctuary without informing his Lieutenants.” Regina leaned further back on her chair. 

“Either way I'm running things until he deeps us worthy of his presence again.” 

Lee sighed. “Да (yes), we don't care.” Gavin smirked at that.

“It's shit like that, Angel, that get's your head smashed in.” Simon said in warning but Lee was utterly unaffected; save for him calling her 'angel'.

The Russian had endured just about all of Simon's creepiness she could take so shot to her feet and straightened out her tailcoat. 

“I'll go get him.”

“You know where he is?” Gavin looked confused, but then again Lee was fairly sure that was just Gavin's face. 

“There are only three places he could and since he'd not currently in me, my search radius has been seriously diminished.” 

Regina burst into tiny snorts of silent laughter while Simon just looked pissed. Without another word the Russian made her way out of the conference room with the young German Shepherd following behind happily; the animal was basically glued to her.

Lee got stares as she made her way through the factory with the dog, some horrified by the damage Negan had done to her face and others amazed she'd finally been taken down a notch. Lee ignored them all though, just carried on up to Negan's office. She nodded a small greeting to Jose as she past him and quickly pushed Negan's office door open, nothing. Only one place left to look, she knocked on the door to his room but no answer came, Lee went in anyway. 

The instant Lee spotted Lucille rested against the couch and the open window she knew Negan couldn't be far, he'd never leave Lucille. She sat the puppy down on the bed then clambered out onto the fire escape and quickly shot up two levels to the roof, there he was, sat at the edge on an air vent with his back to her. 

“Fuck off, Simon!” The Savior leader demanded without looking around.

“It's not Simon.” Negan tensed but didn't move, just kept looking out into the distance. “You're Lieutenants are waiting for you.” 

“Simon can handle it.” He told her gruffly.

“Doubt it.” She muttered to herself.

Negan either wouldn't or couldn't look at her so Lee just stood there a few feet behind the leather clad man watching him. All was quiet for a moment before the green-eyed beauty spoke again, her voice was a little awkward. 

“Negan, I wanted to say... I'm sorry. I know I push too far sometimes but what I said about Lucille was wrong. I didn't mean it and I'm so sorry.”

Lee wasn't accustom to apologising, she couldn't actually remember ever having done it before. However, she owned Negan that much. Silence hung between them for a long time, Negan still didn't look at her and Lee continued to just stand there patiently. 

“You know she was my wife, don't you? My real wife.”

“Да (yes).” She nodded. “There were only two possibilities, wife or daughter. The way you talk about her though ruled out daughter rather quickly. I'm sorry.”

Negan sighed. “So am I. I should have done better by her, should have been a better husband. Lucille deserved so much more than what I gave her.” 

“You loved her, that would have been enough.” She said simply. Negan would have liked to have believed her but Lee didn't know about his indiscretions and that was putting it fucking mildly. “Come and show Simon he's not in charge, you are. You're Negan, you don't hide.” 

She was right of course, usually was, and Negan knew it. There were things he needed to do, had to check on the new point count for everyone and see how the fence repairs were going. That was the only reason he nodded. 

“Okay.”

Finally Negan turned to face her... and his face went white. His whole demeanour changed and for a moment Lee didn't know why, not until he raced over to her with a horrified expression on his face.

“Jesus Christ, was this me? Did I fucking do this to you?” His hands shot up to cup her face so he could tilt it this way and that, there was pain in his eyes. “Shit! I'm so sorry, Yulia. I thought I'd just bust your lip or something, I thought I'd only hit your head once, not this. Fucking hell, I'm so sorry, there's no fucking excuse for this.” He was talking a mile a minute and frankly it shocked the Russian. “It's rule fucking one; don't abuse the women! And everyone saw me fucking do this to you. Christ, I'm sorry. How do not hate me?”

Lee had never seen him scared before, hadn't even known he was capable of it, but there he was looking about ready to punch his own lights out. She reached up to press her hand against the one he had at her bruised and bloody cheek. 

“I don't hate you, Negan, and I know why you did this. I pushed you too far and said something just to hurt you. I didn't mean it and I brought this on myself.”

Negan's eyes widened. “No! No, never an excuse for doing that to a woman. I beat the shit out of you.” 

“And I know why,” Lee said again “I know you never would have done it had I not shoved you over the over the line until all you could see was red. We're both the cause of this. It's okay, Negan. Let's just say no more about it.” 

The Savior leader couldn't stop looking at her bloodshot eyes and the sewn up cuts.

“You forgive me?” He looked so sad, a shadow of the man she knew him to be, Negan really didn't know he'd hurt her so badly. 

“I did that moment you did this, now can we please move on?” This conversion was starting to get awkward and Lee wanted out. “Also, there's a puppy downstairs in your room that wants to see you.”

“Yeah? You like your fluffy little gift?”

That was the Negan she knew, the Negan that got things done; although how quickly he'd bounced back surprised her a little. The smirk was back and that flair in his eyes. 

“Very much. Sobaka is adorable." 

"Sobaka?" His brow furrowed.

"Uh-huh, Sobaka. That's his name."

"What sort of a name is that?"

"Well, I didn't know what to call him and I was just talking to him in Russian and decided to stick with it." Lee shrugged her shoulders.

"So Sobaka means something. What?"

"Dog. It's literally just the Russian word for dog. I figured I'm the only one here that would know that so why not let it just be a name. Oh, and you should probably check on your wives, they'll be freaking out. There's a fight, you do this to me and then vanish.”

“The only wife left is Sherry and she knows she's not in trouble.” Lee's expression grew puzzled.

“What do you mean only Sherry?”

“Haven't you noticed me slowly getting rid of the wives? Sending 'em back into down to gen pop After the shit Frankie and Tanya pulled they had to fucking go, there are rules for the wives as well and I know they had to have provoked you somehow. And Amber?! While you were beating getting your bitch fight on I was down in the furnace room. Got back, found her and mark bumpin' unglies. No one cheats, that's a fucking rule and she goddamn broke it.” He sighed. “And her fucking drinking was getting out of fucking control.” 

Lee had never expected Negan to part with his wives, they were his trophies, his things to show off to the masses. Sherry had always been his favourite so it wasn't a real shocker to find she was the one he kept. Yulia doubted Sherry would be alone for long; there would soon be more young and beautiful women looking for an easy life or the boons of being a wife. He'd probably ask her to join their ranks again knowing the answer was no. 

“Well, you'll have plenty of free time. One wife, such an ordeal.” She told him teasingly.

“Oh I don't know, I got a pretty sexy Lieutenant. One I probably don't deserve.”

It almost gave Lee whiplash with how fast Negan could flip between moods, her mind likened it to a pregnant woman's hormones but her mouth stayed shut for once. Negan stood up straight and shook his head as though trying to throw thoughts away. 

“Now, what did you say about Simon?”

Lee rolled her eyes.


	15. Memory Lane

  
Yulia all but sashayed into Negan's bedroom with Sobaka, no one else was brave enough to just wander in but Lee didn't care. In an instant she found the Savior leader stood over by the dresser with his back to her, kakis on but no shirt. Lucille rested against the couch and Lee couldn't deny she'd always felt as though the apocalypse had never reached Negan's room, like it was a pocket dimension untouched by all the death and violence. It was Negan's private retreat and in a way it had become a sanctuary within the Sanctuary for the Russian.   
  
“What you want, Yulia?” Negan asked as he pulled a white t-shirt and covered his toned torso.   
  
The raven-haired beauty wasn't stupid, she'd noticed the way Negan had been essentially pussyfooting around her since 'the incident' as she'd mentally dubbed it, Lee knew Negan hated himself for hitting her, he was no stranger to killing or teaching his people a lesson but what he'd done to her had been out of rage. Lee had forgiven him but he'd take a lot longer to forgive himself, everyone saw Negan as the unwavering leader of the Sanctuary and he was but Lee knew the other side of him, the Negan he kept hidden.   
  
“I have a surprise for you. A present.” She grinned as he turned to face her.  
  
“Oooh, present?” Negan lit up, his smile widened and his hazel orbs sparkled. “You spoiling me now?”   
  
Lee didn't answer, just flashed him a grin and tickled Sobaka's ears who sat beside her like the loyal animal he was. Negan strutted over to the young woman and pulled her to him until they were pressed chest to chest, why did he always smell so good?   
  
“Maybe.”   
  
“You gonna tell me what it is?” He glanced behind her and down to Sobaka. “It better not be so fucking small it fits in your pocket, although I would accept what is in your panties.” He chuckled. “God, I wanna fuck you.”   
  
“Maybe later.” Negan let out a disgruntled noise. “And if you want your gift you've got to come with me. No more moping.”   
  
“Fine.”

  
He drew out the word almost reminiscent of a child not getting their own way but let Lee lead him out of his room – once he'd grabbed Lucille of course – and down to the ground floor. People bowed as usual, that irritated Lee but it was Negan's thing so she chose to stay quiet: as long as they didn't start doing it to her she'd not got a problem. The bearded man followed her towards the garage with a raised eyebrow, he'd not heard of her going out on a supply run for two days so why the garage? We going somewhere? He wondered.   
  
“Come on,” she encouraged as the headed to the back of the garage where they kept cars they were in the process of repairing. “just a little further.”   
  
Suddenly Koby came into sight and flashed a smile at the Russian. Lee had taken four men from very different backgrounds and ethnicities and banded them together under her leadership so well that at times they seemed like a single entity. Some days Negan wondered if Lee could run the Sanctuary better than he could.   
  
Koby dropped to his knees upon seeing Negan but rose again before speaking to Yulia.   
  
“All done, boss. Everything should be good to go.”   
  
“Good, Спасибо (thank you).  Why don't you go find Annabelle?”   
  
Koby grinned at that and practically jogged off back into the Sanctuary. Hardly anyone was in the garage, just a few workers fixing what they could and a couple Saviours guarding the doors; didn't want people getting ideas.   
  
“So, where's my present? You got me a new biker jacket, coz you know, I like the one I got.”   
  
“нет, хуй (no, dick), I got you this.”   
  
Lee spun around and grabbed the large formerly white sheet that covered one of the cars to reveal his gift. Negan's eyes when wide.   
  
“Jesus Christ!” He exclaimed as he shoved Lucille into Lee's hands and surged towards the car. “This is a 1969 Mustang! Shit, where the fuck did you find this?”   
  
Lee grinned, she'd known he'd love the cherry red Mustang. “The people I brought back a few weeks ago, they were hiding out in an auto shop. It was just sat there gathering dust, thought you'd want it... you know, masculinity and all that. She had some tire issues but I had Koby deal with it and clean her up. You like?”   
  
“Shit yeah, I like!” Negan couldn't stop running his hands along the smooth body of the car, cherry red with white racing stripes, the most classic appearance of all. Lee just kept on surprising him.   
  
“Here.” She tossed him the keys. “Take a look inside.”   
  
Negan did exactly that, a grin on his face as though he were a kid in a candy store. There wasn't a single blemish anywhere that he could see, like the car had missed out on the apocalypse until that very moment although he did notice the CB radio that had been fitted and something had gone off with what looked like a cup holder.   
  
“The fuck?” He muttered to himself more than Lee.   
  
“Ahh, Да (yes), that's for Lucille. You always just rest her against your leg or on a vacant seat. This way she's got her own spot.”   
  
With that Yulia promptly pulled the passenger door open and slotted Lucille into the ring, she fitted perfectly, angled slightly towards Negan and easy to remove and start wacking.   
  
“You always think about my girl don't ya, котик (pussycat)?”   
  
“She's all gassed up, just waiting for big bad Negan to take her for a spin.”   
  
“Shit, I may actually be hard.”   
  
He couldn't stop grinning and Lee found it infectious, as horrific as Negan could be the Russian always found something strangely uplifting about him. Maybe it was just the crazy as hell upbringing she'd had.   
  
“Hal and Videl found an old spa hotel, was too big for them to search at the time but we can go play if you want to.”   
  
“Oh hell yes!” Negan shoved the keys into the ignition.  
  
“Negan, cool your jets. Water might be a good idea to take with us.”   
  
“Good point.”   
  
Lee rolled her eyes, an all too common occurrence around Negan, and clambered out of the Mustang. She raced off and only stopped long enough to throw a 'back in a few' over her shoulder. Negan just sat there and waited, just because it was the apocalypse didn't mean they couldn't have nice things. Calloused hands ran over the dash.   
  
“You are a beaut ain't ya, darlin'?” He glanced down to Lucille. “No need to go getting jealous, Sweetheart, you're still my girl. Fuck, I'm gonna enjoy this!”   
  
Negan hadn't been in an American classic since way before the world went to shit so for him this was a trip down memory lane. A badass car, the open road and the sexiest thing he'd ever seen by his side, like one of those old fashioned movies; the thought actually made him happy. Lee was right, they couldn't just head off into the sunset so he clambered out of the cherry red Mustang and went in search of Simon. That wasn't a very long quest as he ran into the man not fifteen feet down the hallway before he could even think about drawing his radio.   
  
“Simon, just the dude I was fucking looking for.” He grinned.   
  
“Something I can do for you, Negan?” Simon asked as he sipped from a water bottle.   
  
“I'm heading out with Yulia, be back in a day or two. Hold down the fort until then.”   
  
“Really? You want me to get a team ready?” 

He reached for his radio but Negan stopped him with a gesture. It was rather clear that Simon didn't like how much time Negan spent with Lee or that he'd just drop everything and head off somewhere with her, she was dangerous in Simon's mind. Couldn't be trusted. It also alarmed him that Negan treated the Russian differently to everyone else he'd ever come into contact with, she brought out some other part of the lead Savior and Simon didn't know what to make of it.    
  
“Nah, I've got my little Russian WMD, we'll be good. I want Schneider done training those recruits by the time I get back.”  
  
“On it.”   
  
By the time Negan got back to the Mustang Lee had almost finished loading up the trunk with just about anything she thought they'd need; how Yulia always seemed to have just what they needed would never cease to amaze the bearded man.   
  
“Ahh, look at you packin' and shit.” Negan chuckled to himself. “You got us a picnic and everything?”  
  
“Right down to the cute little basket.”   
  
Negan snickered at that as Lee slammed the trunk shut and made her way around to the front passenger seat. He slipped into the driver's seat only to find Sobaka with his head rested on the back of the chair, she didn't go anywhere without that dog any longer, they were practically joined at the hip.  
  
The moment he heard the Mustang purr Negan grinned ecstatically and his body roared with masculine pleasure, this was going to be fun.   
  
“You got the map? Helps to know where the fuck we're going.”   
  
“It's me.” She deadpanned and frankly Negan couldn't argue with that, the Russian had never lead him astray before. “Just drive.”   
  
He did. The Savior leader raced out of the garage through the gates – which his men only just got open in time – and thundered down the road. He spent most of his time in the Sanctuary running his empire but when he did leave, Negan always made a scene about it. 


	16. Hotel

The drive was fast and loud, Negan couldn't stop grinning as the Mustang raced along the abandoned roads, the sun bounced off the cherry red hood and just for a time all seemed right with the world. Lee spent most of it in silence just watching the leather clad man as though he were a child that had just discovered chocolate for the first time.  It amazed the Russian that Negan could still be that gleeful even after all the things they'd seen but she found there was something endearing about it. It didn't take long for Sobaka to nod off – all that dog did was follow her around and sleep – maybe fifteen minutes, certainly no more and of course the car filled the sounds of snoring. 

“Christ, I love this thing!”

Negan had exclaimed that more than once but Lee didn't say anything, he was enjoying himself and that was what she'd wanted, Yulia only spoke up when they needed to make a turning. If she shut her eyes she could almost imagine that this was a date, just her and him off somewhere to have fun before they had to return to their lives. Negan didn't let her live in the past exactly, Lee knew she couldn't do that, but he did remind her of the good back than, strange that a man who clearly wasn't 'good' made her happy. 

A little over two hours later saw Negan slowing the Mustang as they turned in to the parking lot of the spa hotel that Hal and Videl had found, she'd expected him to just bring the car to a stop but no, he actually went to a vacant space – of which there were rather a lot – and parked; who the fuck bothered parking in a space any longer? 

“Shit, котик (pussycat), you know how to make a man happy.” He grinned at her as he reached for Lucille and shoved the keys in his jacket pocket. 

Lee shrugged. “It's an innate talent.”

He snorted at that but said nothing, the two clambered from the Mustang – which Lee was surprised he'd not named yet, she'd expected that to happen within the first half hour – and let Sobaka out the back. They looked up at the abandoned hotel, it had been constructed of old brick and seemed to have once been some huge mansion that had been converted into a hotel, the place looked more suited to the English countryside in the eighteen-hundreds. Once there had been a lavish fountain and colorful bedding plants but now all that remained was overgrown grass and filthy carved stone half obscured by said grass. Trees surrounded most of the building, long ago it gave privacy and a regal elegance but in the apocalypse all it provided was biters and enemies with more places to hide, Lee didn't worry though, Sobaka would soon sniff them out if there were any. 

Negan didn't wait for Yulia he just padded off towards the steps and main entrance with Lucille at his side, always the eager investigator. The sound of gravel crunching under foot was almost rhythmic. Like a gentleman Negan held the glass door open for Lee to go in ahead of him to which she made a show of curtsying before heading inside the hotel. Everything had a thick layer of dust but otherwise looked untouched, it was in the middle of nowhere surrounded by thick trees and what the state could offer up as hills so it was possible no one had come across it before. 

The floors were a white marble that dust and age had sent gray, an ornate staircase called the left corder of the room home and hallways branched off from every other section of the reception area. Though the hotel wasn't overly large it was quite clear only the top one percent could have afforded to stay there; shame, Negan had wanted more peanut butter. The air smelt musty – understandable if they were the first ones in there since day one – and everything was eerily silent as green and hazel eyes looked around. Dead centre of the large room stood the reception desk, a blocky monstrosity of a desk, it had been some new age geometric looking thing with bright orange panels, but after years of facing the sun through the double glass doors it had stained and turned a sickly yellow. Lee had seen hordes of the undead, seen them rip people apart while they screamed and maybe there was something wrong with her but that desk was the most grotesque thing she'd ever seen. 

“I'd say split up and search for clues-” Negan began in his best Fred Jones voice “-but I think this place is too fucking big. Don't want my sexy little thing getting munched on by dead bastards that jumped her in the sauna. 

“Thanks for the concern.” She tickled Sobaka's ears. “But if you insist on doing this together it's going to take all day.” 

“Not a problem, told Simon to expect us back in a day or two. He can last that fucking long, and besides this place looks un-fucking-touched, we could make a killing!” With that he marched off up the stairs. “Come on, let's work our way down.”

They did just that, walked all the way to the top floor only stopping to whistle and check if there were any deadites stalking the halls. Lee didn't know if it was good or bad that they'd only found one. When the got to the top floor the each took a side of the hallway, Negan took the right while Lee and Sobaka got the left. It was mostly clothing and jewellery, they took the cleanest and most practical of the options for the market to sell, everything got stuffed into travel bags and sat in the stairwell for them to take back down to the Mustang when they were done. 

“Shit, there has to be a grands worth of diamonds here!” Exclaimed Negan from down the hall about thirty minutes after they started searching. “I bet this place was a thief's wet dream before the apocalypse.” 

Lee rolled her eyes as she made her way to see what all the fuss was about. Lucille rested on the bed beside a stack of books while Negan had his head firmly buried in a black jewellery box. 

“Let me see?” He handed Lee the necklace which was indeed lavish and beautiful but he furrowed his brow when Yulia just tossed it back into the box without much care. “It's fake. So is that Rolex. They're good fakes but they're still fake.” 

“Huh. Guess these fuckers were living beyond their means. Shame, I always wanted a Rolex.” 

“I'll keep an eye out.”

Negan smiled at that. “That's my girl.” 

Before Lee could say a single word Negan had her against the wall and was peppering kisses to her neck. 

“Negan, you can play with me later.” She began, her accent thicker than usual; always was when he kissed her. “We have to go through the whole hotel... and Sobaka's in here.” 

“So?”

“I'm not having sex with you against a dusky old wall that's probably grown mould by now while my dog watches.”

Negan giggled and pulled her to his chest away from the wall. 

“No one for fucking voyeurism I take it?”

“Not when it's Sobaka. I really don't care who else sees you fuck me, but not the dog he's still a baby.” 

The Savior leader roared with laughter at that, Lee came across as a badass bitch but when it came to that German Shepherd she was a whole other person, she babied Sobaka. Lee pressed a kiss to his lips then went over to the sitting animal, she crouched down and tickled his face. 

“я тебя люблю, собака. поцелуй меня?” (I love you, Sobaka (dog). Kiss me?) The dog barked and promptly licked her cheek. 

Sometimes Negan thought Sobaka got more attention from the Russian than he fucking did, still he didn't complain; unusual for him. He grabbed Lucille and the stack of books which – now he knew the jewellery were counterfeit – were the only things of any interest in the hotel room and went to stand by the door. 

“Don't know if you'll want these, if not we'll just toss 'em in with the market shit.”

“How sweet.” She deadpanned as Lee rose to her feet.

Two hours later and three floors of hotel rooms and they'd got little to show for it, some clothes, books, a decent amount of toiletries and a new food bowl for Sobaka but nothing they actually needed. Of course they knew all the good stuff would be down in the kitchens and storage rooms but they'd hoped for a little more in the hotel rooms. So far they'd only filled a quarter of the Mustang's trunk. Just as they got back down onto the ground floor the heavens opened and rain fell, it had almost been like flipping a switch, one moment it was sunny and pleasant and the next everything was dark and gloomy. Yulia and Negan ignored it but Sobaka kept looking around, he didn't like rain, maybe it was because it had poured the first night they'd found him and it took the animal back to a time of fear... or maybe it was just noisy and annoying. 

The treatment rooms didn't hold much, a few candles that always came in handy. Negan started to grumble about finding something halfway decent, or at least he did until they entered what turned out to be the bar. 

“Fuck yeah! This more goddamn like it.”

He shoved Lucille into Lee's hands with a 'hold her' thrown over his shoulder as he practically hopped over the bar to search through the stash. Bourbon, Vodka, Scotch, more beer than he'd seen in months, Negan was in heaven. 

“I'm taking the lot.” He beamed as Lee passed him a large black bag they'd found on the second floor.

Bottles clanked as Negan filled the bag up with glee, Lee searched around the rest of the bar, the only thing that caught her eye was a silver sliver of metal over on a far table. When she retrieved it she found it to be a fountain pen beside it was it's case. 

“Graf von Faber-Castel.” She said to herself.

“What?”

Lee held up the pen for Negan to see, he raised an eyebrow clearly unimpressed. 

“The pen,” she explained “it's a Graf von Faber-Castelfountain pen, these things sold for about two thousand dollars because of the gold in the nib.”

Negan's mouth fell open. “Some fucker paid two grand for a shitting pen!? Christ, these assholes had too much fucking money.” 

Lee smiled. “That's nothing, there was one by Tibaldi that sold for eight million.” 

Negan tilted his head and leaned on the bar, he looked good behind a bar, would have made club going more fun that was for goddamn sure. 

“How do you know so fucking much about pens? You're always carrying one about with ya and I've seen your room at Lincoln, you've got a fucking cup full of 'em.”

“It's a hobby.” She told him while checking if the ink had dried up, sure enough it had so she tossed the carriage to the floor. When she flipped the case open though she found three more sealed ones waiting for her. “After my mother killed herself-” she said with no emotion “- my father found himself with four very young children to raise, one of which was still an infant. He couldn't take care of us on his own and in our line of work you didn't just take a year off, you did your job or you regretted it. He had a friend, Nikola Sokolov, they'd grown up together. He was basically our дяденька, our Uncle, Nikola wasn't a very outgoing man, he kept to himself... but that was understandable considering who he was and the era he grew up in.” 

“He was gay?” Negan asked as he rounded the bar and made his way over to the booth, his eyes sparkled with genuine interest in what she was saying. 

“Да.” (yes) She nodded. “He was a good man though. Some of the things my country did made no real sense.”

“Same here.”

“Anyway, дяденька (Uncle) Nikola loved books and collected pens, Father used to say he was eccentric. Helped that he came from money. When my Father was working he'd leave me and my brothers with him, the boys would play with those little plastic soldiers and crap like that but I liked to be with дяденька Uncle) Nikola, he made me feel safe.” She snorted to herself. “That man was more of a mother to me than my real one ever was. He's why I like reading, why I know everything about pens. He's also the reason why I know I'm a winter and should never wear orange.” 

Negan breathed out a laugh. “What happened to him? When you moved here you had to leave him right?” 

Lee nodded. “Да (yes), but we went back to see him when we could. Eventually though – I must have been fourteen maybe – he came here as well. Three weeks and he had a boyfriend, it was the happiest I'd ever seen him. And I was glad he came because it was around then that Illya came out as gay, дяденька (Uncle) Nikola had always know of course so it was good for him to be there. He died in a car crash three years before the world went to дерьмо (shit).”

“I'm sorry, darlin'.” Negan actually meant that, she could hear it in his voice. “You've had it real rough all your fucking life, ain't ya.” 

“I didn't really have anything to complain about. I basically had two fathers not just one, three brothers that loved me, a job that taught me how to survive. People had worse lives.”

“Explains fucking why to don't like women though.” Lee raised an eyebrow. “Okay so you like Jessi and Regina, you tolerate Arat, but that's fucking it. Everyone else you get your bitch fight on with.” 

“Okay so maybe I have a few problems. Now, I've got a pen, you've got booze can we look for something useful like maybe some food please?”

And with that the subject was done with. The must have taken a wrong turn somewhere along the line because what they came across next certainly wasn't the kitchens, it was the pool. Once it had been lavish and relaxing but after years of just sitting there the pool had become a giant green crater that stank of chemicals and mould. The floor to ceiling windows were coated in a thick layer of grime the floor wasn't fairing up much better. Negan suddenly pulled the sauna door open with Lucille raised. 

“Here, zombie, zombie, zombie!”

Nothing jumped out, nothing so much as shuffled. The whole hotel really was void of the dead.

“Really?”

“What? I'm being fucking thorough.”

He swung the door shut again and took a deep breath, he really wanted to kill some dead bastard, Lucille was thirsty.

“This place is shaping up to be a total shit hole ain't it, котик (pussycat). There's fuck all in here, now where the fuck is the goddamn kitchen.”

Truth be told when Videl and Hal had informed Lee of their hotel discovery she'd imagined something somewhat smaller so it stood to reason there weren't going to be resources everywhere. Still this was the easiest scavenging trip she'd been on in a long time, this was practically relaxing. 

Negan marched down the halls in search of the kitchens with Lee following along behind, she glanced down hallways checking on whether or not any rotting assholes were scurrying down the corridor intent on eating Negan's pretty face. That man really wasn't afraid of anything and Yulia had found herself getting distracted by his smug smiles and bad-boy charm. 

A sign caught Lee's attention and had her backtracking a few steps with a raised eyebrow, she flicked her raven hair over her shoulder and let out a little, inquisitive hum. Almost instantly Negan spun around on the spot, Lucille still stowed on his shoulder so he looked all intimidating and sexy. 

“Found something, котик? (pussycat)” Negan practically sashayed over to her only to snake one hand around her hips and pulled her to his chest, why did he always smell so good?

She pointed at the sign. “Medical.”

“Awesome! Finally something fucking useful... you know other than the booze.” Negan took her by the hand and lead Lee off down the hallway towards the medical wing. “Come on, sexy.” 

Sure enough they quickly came across some sort of nurses office somehow after all the years the place still smelt of cleanliness, there were posters up about germs and crap as well, it was worse than Doc Carson's infirmary.

“Alright, if I was a fucking boat load of drugs where would I be?” Negan muttered to himself as he started to search through cupboards.

Yulia followed suit, they quickly gathered up all the bandages, iodine and such they came across, Negan tossed it into the gym bag he'd found by the door. Doctor Carson was going to be over the moon when they showed him all the still sealed needles and boxes of gloves they'd found. This place had just been sitting there since day one, untouched and preserved. An untapped well.

“Wonder what the fuck is in here.” The Savior leader said to himself before shoving a door in the corner of the room beside an L shaped desk. It took a couple of hard jolts but the door opened. “Motherfucking jackpot!”

“Something we can use?”

“Hell yeah! This place has got everything.” He started to rummage through the shelves. “Penicillin... Methadone? Why the fuck do they have Methadone? Ah, who gives a shit? Lee, bring that gym bag, I'm just gonna empty the lot and Carson can fucking deal with when we get back to the Sanctuary.” 

Lee promptly tossed the bag over to him. She leaned back on the desk so she could just watch him, he'd never hidden how much he liked to watch her ass, however, the Russian had a guilty pleasure for watching the way his torso would peak out when he reached for something or the way the beloved leather jacket would stretch across his broad shoulders. True there were more muscular men at the Sanctuary, Wyatt Schneider for instance, but that wasn't what made Negan attractive, she had no doubt he could be covered in dirt and girls would still want him. He had this presence, even when he was sleeping, Negan was a dangerous man – a killer – but for whatever reason he made her feel safe, made her feel as though she wasn't alone.

She sat there watching him rummage with a sense of glee, it was getting dark outside, maybe she'd give him that smile and take him off up to one of the rooms for the night. They'd clear out everything else in the morning.

“Hey, Negan, want to play with me?”

“Oh fuck yes!”


	17. Roadblocks And Problems

Yulia awoke the next morning to humidity, Lee didn't do humidity it made her grumpy. For some reason as of late  the weather had been flip-flopping, one moment it was a bright and sunny day and then the next it was pissing it down. She rolled over expecting to find a still unconscious  Negan shirtless and sprawled out like he usually was but instead was greeted by Sobaka's face. The dog lay there beside her half awake with his tongue sticking out.

“ су́кин сын,  собака. ”  (Son of a bitch, Sobaka (dog))

A chuckle came from over by the window so green eyes glanced up to see Negan pulling his leather jacket on, the light hurt her eyes, Lee knew she shouldn't have let him talk her into drinking what they'd found behind the bar. 

“You alright there, darlin'?” 

“Я ни хуя́ не по́мню из вчера́шнего дня.” (I don't remember a fucking thing from yesterday.) Lee grumbled her face pressed into the pillow. 

“I think we found something that iron Russian stomach can't handle. No more Tequila for you. Your head hurt?”

“Да, немного. Молчать. Пожа́луйста.” (Yes, a little. Silence. Please.) Said Lee somewhat disjointedly while her body tried to remain asleep. 

Negan sighed and reached for Lucille who'd been rested by the side table for the night. 

“Yulia, I only understood three of those words. You're gonna have to switch back to English for me because I haven't got a fucking clue what your going on about.” 

“Sorry.”

“Better.” Suddenly – and rather unceremoniously – Negan pulled the covers from the Russian exposing her naked body to him. “Fuck, you're beautiful. Now hurry up and get fucking dressed. We have shit to do.” 

Reluctantly Lee obeyed and slithered out of bed and into the bathroom to get dressed, with it being humid she didn't want  to wear her tailcoat so it ended up tucked over the bright red leather satchel bag she'd come across in one of the cheaper rooms the day before. 

Negan had been right, Tequila didn't agree with Yulia. Vodka, whiskey and such were like water to her but it seemed they'd found her kryptonite. Well the moral of the story there was don't go on a drink binge with Negan. Lee took a deep breath to relax herself and force the impending hangover off then finally left the bathroom only to be met by Negan holding out a bottle of water and some aspirin. 

“Go on, I'm not having you slipping into Russian every five fucking minutes. Helps if I know what the hell your saying.” 

Lee said nothing just took the aspirin and swallowed the pills down with a gulp of water.

“Kitchens today me things, котик (pussycat).” He rolled his shoulders. “Save the best for last and all that.” 

The trio trudged down the long flights of stairs to the ground floor, though this tine they didn't wander around, they just went in search and quickly found. When they entered the large silver-grey kitchen the first thing they noticed was a buzzing noise and it had both of their brows furrowing. 

“The fuck is that?”

“Is that a light?”

Lee suddenly surged towards the far right of the room and around the corner.  Negan and Sobaka shared a look then followed, when the rounded the corner sure enough lights were on, dimly but they were on and Lee had pulled the walk in freezer door open. Negan felt a wave of ice-cold air caressed him. The freezer was still on. The fucking freezer was  _ on _ ! 

“How the shitting hell does this place have power?” Negan almost demanded as he looking inside the walk in freezer to see stacks of meat and fish. 

“I think it's just kitchens, it would make sense, stop the food going bad.”

“A generator wouldn't have been able to keep this place working so many years. You think they've got solar panels up on the roof or something?”

“Seems like the only logical answer. Has the Sanctuary got anyone who knows about solar panels?” Asked Lee before venturing further into the freezer.

“Pussycat, I got guys who know about a lot of shit. When we get back I'll have Simon send a team out see if we can take any of it back for replacement parts and shit. More im-fucking-portantly do ya think any of this is still edible?”

“I doubt it, even frozen meat goes off. This has been here for years, it might look good now bit I really doubt it is, especially the fish. They were smart enough to put the flour in here though so we might be able to use that still.”

Lee certainly liked the cool freezer compared to the humidity that had crept into the hotel, it helped the hints of hangover and her hair definitely preferred it; far less chance of frizz.

The place was a little too big to use as an outpost, they'd have to have more Saviors there than at the Sanctuary in order to man it but Lee was starting to think it could be a prime bug out location for if something seriously bad every happened at the Sanctuary. It was a fairly direct route and with men stationed on the roof they'd have a clear view in all directions, the brick being as old as it was meant the place was solid and stable, the civilians would be safe there if needed. A safe haven was a long way off though. 

“Fucking typical, ain't it? We find all this food and we can't eat any of it. Christ, it even got to stay in the goddamn freezer.”

“Such is life. However, if the freezer is still this well stocked the pantry will be just as good if not better.”

They shut the freezer door and continued their exploration of the kitchens, along the way they grabbed a few utensils the Sanctuary could never have enough of. When Negan pulled a door marked 'pantry' open the pair burst out laughing, they'd not seen this much food in years, everywhere all but entirely been tapped out, the only real options now was to grow it but there lay shelves before them stacked as high as they would go. Sure some stuff had turned bad but that was to be expected. Energy bars, pasta, sugar, rice, salt, honey, spices, vinegar and several crates of Red Bull. 

“Fucking hell! I've said it be-goddamn-fore but you Russian's just pay for yourselves.” Negan started to wander through the stacks while Yulia followed suit throwing whatever she could into the satchel bag over her shoulder and the ones Negan had lugged in with them. “Might keep the Red Bull for me.” 

“Why? Plan on being up all night?” She asked with a smirk.

Negan grinned wide, eyes sparkling with a devilish charisma. Why did that grin make her body vibrate with want? 

“You gonna make it worth me losing my beauty sleep?” Negan wiggled his eyebrows. 

“I might indulge you.” She teased before getting back on track. “We should give the place another once over and then head back to the Sanctuary. I think the Mustang is about full.”

“Yeah, don't wanna overload my baby.”

Lee rolled her eyes, she'd known he'd love the car but she'd not known he'd love it that much. The 'another once over' took a good two hours and Sobaka found an oversized cushion he quickly laid claim to but other than that they'd cleared the place out. 

As they were leaving Negan spotted something peeking out from the trees, he tilted his head to the side almost dramatically and stared at the spot for a time leaving Lee to pack up the last few things alone. She slammed the trunk shut and joined him.

“What are you looking at?” She questioned, her accent thick.

“Over there.” The bearded man pointed. “Does that look like a steeple to you?”

Yulia nodded beside him as Sobaka padded over to sit beside her. 

“A church? Out here?”

“I don't know.” The leather clad Savor shrugged. “Religious fanatics build crap all over the fucking place.” He let Lucille drop down to his side rather than lounging on his strong shoulder. “Wanna take a look,  котик (pussycat)? May as fucking well.” 

“Да, Конечно. Заебись.” (Yes, Sure. Fucking great.) Lee muttered with fake enthusiasm.

Frankly she didn't see the point to checking it out, churches were unlikely to have anything of value and more likely to have a zombified congregation in them, also they'd already filled up the Mustang. Still, Negan usually got his way. 

“Seriously, woman. You are going to have to speak English, you literally lost me after the first word.” He complained and flashed her a look.

Lee raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Or you could learn some Russian other than 'котик' (pussycat) because you're obsessed with having some pet name for me.” 

“Don't fucking yell at me.” He warned.

“Or what? Do I get a spanking?”

That made him grin, one of those lopsided smiles that showed off how dangerously handsome he really was.

“Oh come on, you know we'd both enjoy that. We could make a night of it, I'll tie you down and everything.”

“Do you ever stop thinking about sex?” Lee asked skeptically.

“Yeah, sure, sometimes I'm thinking about killing biters or that Simon is a fucking idiot.” There was a momentary pause. “Come on, let's have a look.” 

Reluctantly the Russian and Sobaka followed Negan through the trees expecting a dead one to jump out at any second, fortunately the only one that did went straight for the bearded man and promptly got its head caved in. 

There was indeed a church just sat in the middle of nowhere, it wasn't large but it wasn't small either. Made of white painted wood and looking rather stereotypical. Negan didn't wait just kicked the door open and whistled, of course the dead came out to play but this had been his idea so Lee just stood there with Sobaka and watched as Negan Lucilled them all. 

“You could help.” He grumbled.

“I prefer watching you.”

“Shit, I wanna fuck you right now!” He beamed.

“That's what you always want.” With that the dark-haired woman made her way up the few steps and into the church, as expected there wasn't anything of interest.

They looked around for maybe five minutes before Negan came across a small staircase that led upstairs to the choir area, they made their way up quickly and pushed open the only door: Lee's eyes went wide. 

“Oh my God! Is that a nun? Am I looking at an undead nun right now? Is that even a thing?”

The woman turned around to face them, her skin rotten, her habit faded and torn. Of all the things Yulia had expected to find in the church an undead nun wasn't on the list.

The nun stumbled towards them.

“You kill her.” Said Negan which had Lee's head snapping up to look at him. 

“What?”

“I don't think it's right to bash a nun's head in even if she is a fucking biter.”

Actually Lee couldn't really argue with that, she pulled out her Ruger and fired destroying the brain instantly. 

“Can we go?” Asked the Russian.

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

The drive back to the Sanctuary was longer than the one out and far more compact thanks to the stash of stuff they'd found. When they got back Lee had her men unpack the Mustang while Negan vanished to get an update from Simon: after cautioning everyone on what would happen if they damaged his new baby. 

 

~X~

 

Simon knocked on Negan's office door and waited for the deep 'come in' to be uttered before he went inside, it had been about a week since Lee had given Negan his much-loved Mustang and Negan had gotten back to his usual critical eye approach to running the Sanctuary. Simon raised an eyebrow at what he found, sat at his desk wearing his glasses – something very few people knew he had – with his head in a thick blue book covered in what looked to be Cyrillic. 

“What are you reading?” The moustached man asked with a hand on his hip.

“Nothing!”

The book was tossed over his leather clad shoulder out of sight as though it had never existed and the glasses came off, Simon knew better than to ask what Negan was hiding, probably wasn't that interesting. 

“Gavin just reported that his men were attacked while out scouting out past the Chemical Plant Outpost. We've got no clue who the fuck the were, these people just came out of fucking nowhere. Half his goddamn men are dead.” 

Negan shot to his feet, fists planted on the desk firmly, his expression dark. 

“What the fuck, Simon?!” Negan demanded. 

“They just came out of nowhere.”

“So dollars to fucking donuts we've never come across so much as a fucking footprint of these fuckers, great!” 

Simon sighed. “Sadly yes. Gavin's on his way to the Sanctuary with his injured men.” 

Negan slammed his fist down on the mahogany desk forcing Simon to jump ever so slightly as the sound echoed around the room. The Savior leader pulled his radio from his belt and brought it up to his mouth. 

“котик (pussycat), get your sexy ass in my fucking office now.” He commanded but no response came, instead, just as Negan was debating having to ask her again Lee entered the office, obviously she'd been in her own room just down the hall from Negan's office. Sobaka trailed in after her.

“What's going on?” She asked, accent thicker on the vowels.

It was strange to see her sans the brocade tailcoat, just her red tartan jeans – Negan had adored the way her face had lit up when she'd found those – and a tight white t-shirt with some sort of birdcage on it. How Lee found these clothes Negan had no idea but he was glad she did, she was one of the only people in the Sanctuary – other than himself – who'd kept their sense of style since the world went to hell. The tips of her hair was damp, _shower, that explains why there's no tailcoat; _he smiled thinking of her naked body.

“Do you really need to bring her in on this?” Simon let out an exasperated sigh as he gestured to the Russian.

Negan fixed his second-in-command with a glare.

“Yeah, I think I fucking do. Clearly Gavin can't take care of shit, and I don't see you coming up with any bright fucking ideas a-” There was a pause where Negan turned his attention to Yulia, she stood there tall and proud, ready for anything. “котик (pussycat), what's Russian for asshole?

“Мудак (asshole).” She answered easily unsure as to where Negan was going with that little nugget of information. 

“Мудак (asshole). I like that!” He straightened up with a smile. “I've decided to branch off into new swearing avenues.” That was a brief moment of humour before he shot back into annoyance and anger when Simon shifted his weight. “Yulia, how well can you track?” 

“Negan, I dealt with alarm systems and locks. I stole art, sculptures and jewellery, I'm not a hunter, didn't go around killing Bambi.”

Simon snorted. “Finally, something you _can't_ do.”

“Shut your fucking face, Simon!” Negan snapped forcing Simon into silence easily before turning his attention back to the raven-haired beauty. “I bet you know someone who's fucking epic at it though right? Greg was my go to for tracking and shit but he popped his goddamn clogs, so who ya got for me?”

Negan clapped his hands together fully aware that having Lee do these things rather than his right hand man would seriously piss him off.

“I'll have Kent do it.” Suggested the moustached man but both Lee and the leather clad man ignored him.

Lee thought a moment. “Videl, he's always going on about hunting to Koby and Connor. Connor only listened because he's in love with Videl's baby sister, Jessica. Whenever Videl goes out he comes back with all kinds of animals for us, last week he brought back a buck.”

Negan's expression grew puzzled. “Which on is he?” 

“Cuban. Always carrying around a carpenter's axe. His sister works in the kitchen here and he's usually with Ross.”

“Actual Ross or the dude we thought was Ross?”

Lee rolled her eyes. “Actual Ross.”

Negan nodded to himself. “Okay. I want you and your mini-mes take him out and search the area, _just_ search I don't want you engaging.” Lee nodded in understanding, they couldn't go in all guns blazing.

“I'll have a team sent with her.” Simon piped up but Negan shook his head. 

“No, Yulia is doing it.” God he loved saying her name didn't he? “You and I are going to question the shit out of Gavin.” 

“I'll report as soon as I return.”

Negan smirked. “That's my good girl.”

He reached for her and pulled Lee to him by the hips then pressed his lips to her own. The bruising had faded well, the cut on her cheek would as well but the one along her forehead and temple though was quite a different story, that one would scar and Negan would silently hate himself every time he saw it. His tongue met Lee's in a battle for dominance that she let him win, no one could deny that man knew how to kiss, Simon resisted the urge to gag. 

When the pair parted he let out a purr of pleasure, there was something about the Russian that Negan had never known before, something indescribable but undeniably there. Lee flashed him a smile then pulled her radio from her belt. 

“Evan, Connor, I want you to grab Videl and prepare to roll out.” 

A moment later came a crackle followed by Evan's voice. “ _On it, boss. Where we headed?_ ”

Lee pulled a folded map from Negan's desk and threw it at Simon. “Where Simon?” 

Simon marked the map, but he made damn sure to show his irritation. In his mind only Negan could order him around but there was a skinny Russian who'd not even been with them a year acting like she owned the fucking place. Negan had beaten the shit out of her a month or so ago and he'd thought she would learn her place but no such luck. As long as Negan let her get away with just about anything she'd continue to lord it over everyone... the worst thing was the Saviours seemed to like her better. 

Lee looked at the map. “су́кин сын (son of a bitch), this is going to take me all day.” She groaned then cast her green eyes over to Negan who was enjoying the view of her ass. “Don't wait up.” 

Sobaka  padded out following his mistress off on their field trip.

“Come on, Simon, we got shit to do. Gavin going straight to Doc Carson when he gets back?”

Simon nodded. “Yeah.”

“Then let's take a little trip to the infirmary.” 


	18. I've Got My Freak On For Recon

The two men made their way down four flights of stairs to the first floor infirmary, outside sat several Saviors, all injured but not alarmingly so.  Negan kicked the infirmary door open and stowed Lucille up on his shoulder, Gavin and Doc Carson almost jumped from their skins, a sight that brought a smirk to Negan's lips. Simon leant against the door frame just behind the Savior leader, an expectant expression on his face. 

“What's this I fucking hear about my men getting fucking ambushed, Gavin?” 

There was a moment or two of Silence where Negan just stood there before his Lieutenant, Gavin took a steadying breath before he answered. 

“I'm sorry, Negan. We were travelling and they just came out of nowhere. I don't think they were waiting for us specifically, there were spikes rigged to take out cars. Thankfully they only got two, if the others had gotten their tires punctured we'd all be dead.” 

“So you expect me to believe they were just sat on that road on the off chance that someone would come along?” Negan growled. “No, that doesn't happen.” Negan came closer, Gavin was sat on the exam table so he couldn't really go anywhere but Doctor Carson took a step back. “How far into that area have you been?” 

“Ouch!” Gavin glared at the doctor as he stuck him with a needle.

“Sorry.” Muttered the older man as the Lieutenant's attention turned back to Negan and his scowl. 

“That's the furthest we've been into that area. We were gonna look it over a while ago but then resource were moved to Lincoln to turn it into an outpost.” 

Negan pulled his radio free of his belt while Gavin continued to moan and complain, Simon was still just stood there looking unimpressed. 

“Lee, darlin'?” 

A few seconds went by and then the radio crackled to life.

“ _Да __(yes), what is it, Negan_?” Yulia's accent seemed thicker over the radio but the bearded man understood her just fine. 

“Be wary of the roads out there, they've trapped 'em. Oh, and if you find the trucks abandoned _don't_ try and moved them. Let the bastards think they've won.” 

“ _You sure? They're good trucks just sat there._ ” 

“I'm sure, do as you're told, Yulia.” 

“ _Alright. I'm going to have my men approach on foot, no one's going to expect that and I won't go loosing more trucks and my men._” 

“That's my girl. Over and out.”

Negan smiled into the radio as he stared at nothing in particular, Gavin rolled his eyes, had he said that to the boss he'd have just gotten 'shut the fuck up and get on with it' as a response. 

 

~ X~ 

 

“ _...Over and out._ ”

Lee shoved her radio back onto her belt and called out for Sobaka to get his fluffy ass in the truck. She and her men made quick work of driving out to the area Simon had marked on the map for her but ordered them to stop about a click away from where Gavin and his men had actually been ambushed, she'd not fall for it as well. They travelled the last of the terrain on foot, keeping to the trees where no one stood a chance of seeing them. When they spotted the trucks on the road Lee understood how easily it would have been to ambush Gavin, the road was flanked on either side by mounds of grassy soil and covered over with thick v iridescent trees, Gavin's men never saw it coming. 

The truck doors were all open and everything had clearly been cleaned out, although the fact that the vehicles were still sat there with the gas in them had Lee raising an eyebrow. It all screamed trap. She and her men scurried up the mound on the right side of the road and hugged the thick tree line, leaves crunched under food but they were otherwise silent. She, Sobaka and Hal ran point while Koby and Connor brought up the rear. 

They move silently for a time before they were directly perpendicular to the trucks, this had to be where the enemy had lay in wait. 

Suddenly a deadite jumped out from bloody nowhere intent on ripping Evan's throat out but Sobaka was on it in an instant, he brought it down with a snarl and dragged it from Evan by the pant leg. Lee made quick work of putting a bullet through its head, they stayed silent, the only noise had been the small _pop_ from her suppressor.

“Thanks,  Sobaka.” Said Evan as he clambered to his feet and caught his breath. 

Yulia kicked at the dead bastard with her foot, it was fairly clean and well fed. 

“He's not been dead long, one of Gavin's guys must have killed him.” She said when she noticed the bullet wound in its stomach.

With a sigh the Russian crouched down and took out her knife, she pulled on the biter's blue shirt and cut a scrap free, Ross let out a little 'ew' noise. She held the scrap out to Sobaka as she sheathed her knife once more and the animal sniffed quickly then padded off slowly to the west. 

“Videl.” The Cuban man came forwards.

  


Videl was a fairly unimposing looking man with short black hair and only around five-foot-eleven but he always had charming demeanour, one of those people that others just innately liked. He looked younger than he was and always wore a Saint Joseph medal around his neck: Patron saint of Carpenters. 

“You okay?” Yulia asked. “You look nervous.”

“Sorry, boss.” She really did love that they all called her that, she'd never asked them to they just did it. “It's just I didn't know you knew my name.”

“I know everyone at Lincoln and their names, I made a point to learn them. Now, I want you to track this sack of shit back to where he came from. Sobaka is doing the same.” 

“On it.” He flashed the Russian a smile and got to work.

The small group she'd brought with her from the Sanctuary followed Videl a short distance to an embankment where blood scattered the floor. To be honest it looked pretty horrid. 

“Must have been where he got shot.” Said Evan as he looked back to the abandoned vehicles, it was a clear line of sight.

“Да (yes), there's a perfect view of the trucks. Whoever did this has done it before, they know this area well, would have to to navigate this terrain so well and so fast.” 

The small group that consisted of Lee, Sobaka, Yulia's mini-Lieutenants, Ross, Videl and a couple of others who'd volunteered, carried on following the Cuban man as he tracked his way through the woods. The trees grew denser the further in they got almost to the point that Lee felt walled in.  They took out another few biters who also looked to have been killed recently but other than them there wasn't so much as bird's tweet. Eerily quiet is how Lee would have described it. 

With a little help from Sobaka Videl lead them though the thick trees until they spotted a clearing to what looked to be a partially built suburban neighbourhood, half the houses were still frames but that wasn't what caught their eyes, the huge church was. It was old and made of grey stone, far older than anything else in the area and probably the reason they'd decided to build a neighbourhood around it. Lee was starting to think there had once been much smaller communities long before the modern age that had been mostly pulled down to make way for new things, it would explain why she and Negan had found a church and Videl had just lead her to an even larger one. It looked imposing with it's large barred windows and bell tower. Men were walking back and forth carrying weapons of varying calibre; clearly guards.

“Evan, hold Sobaka back. I don't want him starting a fire fight.” 

The man quickly obeyed, it was a little awkward with how strong the animal was but he could risk them being discovered so he gripped Sobaka's scruff tightly. 

The team sat an observed for a long time, no one really spoke just watched. Lee took down notes on her forearm about guard rotation and placement, and Negan had thought her carrying around a pen was useless. 

“That's got to be the boss,” began Connor in a vaguely Irish accent as a balding man in jeans and polo neck of all things strutted across the roof towards the bell tower. “See how everyone tenses around him?” 

“He could be their Simon.” Suggested Videl. 

“See the bell tower?” Lee's group nodded as she pointed. “They have a sharpshooter stationed up there and it faces the road. A good scope and they could see Gavin coming. Negan was right to have us leave the cars, they'd have seen us and started another ambush if we'd gone to them.”

“That's why that road was defended, they probably have the same set up with all the roads they can see. Good job we came through the woods.”

“No shit, Videl. But now we knew where they are, how to get close without them seeing us.” 

“Report to Negan?” Connor asked Lee. 

“Do you want any of us to remain behind and watch?” Evan added. 

Lee let her retractable pen shoot back to her belt and turned – still crouched – to face her Lieutenant and Videl. 

“Да (yes) to Negan, нет (no) to staying. I won't risk them spotting you, this area is too unknown to us.”

She took the map she'd taken from Simon out of her back pocket and unfolded it, her green orbs raked over it for a moment.

“Videl, how far do you think we came from the cars? Two clicks?” 

The Cuban man shook his head. “Nah, more than that, Boss. More like three.” He pointed to a spot on the map north of the road. “I'd say were right abut here. Good thing though is that if the road is three miles away that is probably the max raged of the sharpshooter's scope.” 

Lee didn't respond to the last bit, she just marked the spot on the map.

“Alright, fall back and keep Sobaka quiet.” 

All obeyed and quickly made their way back to their trucks away from the church.


	19. я тебя люблю

When Yulia walked back into the Sanctuary with Sobaka at her side she told her men to go get some sleep and food, they were to head back to Lincoln the next morning, unless Negan changed their orders of course. Simon was on her almost instantly looking for information, hands on his hips as usual.   
  
“What  have you got?” He ran a hand through his moustache.  
  
“I'm about to tell Negan that.” Said Lee as she walked straight past Simon towards the stairs.   
  
“Nah, not gonna fly, Comrade.” The older man all but jumped back into her path. “You report to me and I report to Negan. I'm his number two and that's how it works.”   
  
Lee sighed. “So named for how shit you are.”   
  
Easily the Russian dodged Simon and slipped into the stairwell with Sobaka hot on her heels. She raced up to Negan's office, raced up all five flights of steep concrete stairs. Just as she was about to head up the last few steps Simon caught her by the arm and threw her against the wall, Sobaka growled but wouldn't launch until Lee let him.   
  
“Listen bitch, I've put up with your shit long enough! Thinking your the shit, you're a novelty to Negan and you won't be able to keep getting away with this crap for much longer. You've seen his wives, he gets bored with pussy like you quick enough. He'll get new wives soon and you'll be out on your ass. You think he got rid of them for you? Nope, you're not that special, just the flavour of the month.”   
  
Yulia just looked at the older man clearly unimpressed.   
  
“You done trying to assert your dominance, Simon?” Easily the Russian slipped from Simon's grasp and gestured for Sobaka to quieten down. “I told Negan I'd report directly to him and that's what I'm going to do, if he'd told me to report to you I would have.” With that Lee made her way up the last few steps with her beloved pet but she stopped just before she left Simon'e eye line. “Oh, Simon, touch me again and you'll regret it.” With that she was gone.  
  
Suddenly Simon heard a familiar female chuckle and Regina came up the stairs behind him.  
  
“I like her, wasn't sure about her at first but she's proved herself and Lee doesn't take shit.”  
  
“She's full of herself.” Grumbled Simon as his hands returned to his hips.  
  
“Maybe, but you have to realise that she's different. She's special to Negan, he's not going to get bored of her like he usually does. Lee isn't trying to replace you, it's just that she's as cocky as he is.”   
  
Meanwhile Lee marched down the hall and rounded a corner only to almost run into Arat, the two women practically bounced off one another; strange considering how wide the corridor actually was.   
  
“Shit girl!” Arat grinned. “Most people don't have the balls to talk that way to Simon.”   
  
“How the fuck do you know about that?”  
  
Arat gestured to her radio. “Word travels fast around here, especially when it's someone shuts Simon's crap down.”  
  
Lee shrugged. “He thinks he's strong and powerful like Negan but he's not. He's like the substitute teacher that wonders why he's not respected.” Arat chuckled at that and the two women headed towards Negan's office. “Arat, do me a favour?”  
  
“Sure, anything you need. Especially if it's for Negan.” Lee brushed over that.   
  
“Go down to the armoury and see how many grenades we have.”  
  
“Grenades?” Arat raised an eyebrow. “You planning something big?”  
  
Lee flashed the shorter woman a smile. “I'm planning on being prepared to plan something big.”   
  
“Nice, I'll check for you.”  
  
“Спасибо.” (thank you)  
  
Lee continued the last few steps on her own and knocked on Negan's office door, when there wasn't an answer she poked her head in to find the room void of anyone at all. She tried the next door along which was reserved for the wives, empty. Odd but only Sherry was left so Lee supposed the room being empty would slowly become normal. The last place Negan could be on the floor was his room so of course Lee went to the end of the hall and knocked, again no answer so she poked her head in, empty but the sound of water running filled the room. Green orbs spotted Lucille rested lovingly against the dresser draw by the bathroom door and his leather jacket on the bed. Without thinking Lee picked it up and held it to her nose to breath in the comforting scent of Negan. The black leather was rough against her fingers and smelt of sandalwood and smoke, sweat and faint beer. It smelt of him. When they'd first met all that time ago, him with a smirk and Lucille up on his shoulder, her in a too tight tank top on her knees in the dark. Back then she'd thought he'd grow bored of her and throw her back to the wilds but then he'd come looking and promised to help find her brother. This volatile man had become a comfort to Yulia. He made her feel safe nad no one had done that since her father – Roman – had died.   
  
Lee knew Negan wouldn't be in the shower for long, never was unless she was in there with him; Negan didn't like to waste water. With a smirk on her face Lee set to work.   
  
The bearded man stepped out of the shower and towelled his dark hair then wrapped the fluffy white towel around his waist. He'd needed a shower after questioning Gavin and his men, the day was hot and the stench of deadites clung to him along with his own sweat. The water had cooled and soothed his body, large droplets gathered together on his skin then let gravity cast them down his strong torso.   
  
When Negan wiped a hand along the fogged up mirror he inspected his bearded face, it had started to grow too long so he decided it was time to shave it off. Negan went clean shaven every now and again, usually during the peak of summer. It didn't take long to cast it off and soon enough he tossed the razor blade back into the medicine cabinet. After an indulgent stretch Negan left the bathroom, steam followed him out. He made to reach for the dresser draw but stopped dead when he spotted Lee. His eyes widened with wand and a growl escaped his lips, a deep animalistic sound. She lay there on his bed with a sultry smile on her lips, his large leather jacket wrapped around her thin and very naked frame. Her long black hair hung around her flawless face like a cloak of shadows, green orbs watched him with a naughty spark. Negan's cock twitched with want.   
  
“Care to debrief me?” She asked in that sexy Russian accent of hers, she knew it was stupid but the comment had amused her.  
  
“Fuck yeah!”  
  
Negan let the towel fall to the floor and crawled up onto his bed to force Lee down onto her back, he attacked her mouth as he pushed her thighs apart so he could settle between them. The newly shaven man felt the Russian smile into their kiss, if one of his wives had pulled a stunt like this he'd have kicked them out on their ass – no one just decided to hang out in his private room – but with Yulia it was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. He rubbed his hard length against her thigh as his hand slipped inside his jacket to cup her large breast, Negan wasn't stupid he knew many of his men had wondered if they were real or fake but what those assholes thought didn't matter, they'd never get to touch Lee, she was Negan's.   
  
Lee purred. “Need you.”  
  
“I bet you fucking do, pussycat. You want Daddy inside you? Hmm? Want it hard and fast?”   
  
“Xорошо Бог Да!” (Good God yes!)   
  
Petyr chuckled, he'd hardly even touched her and she'd already slipped back to Russian. He knew enough to recognise the word 'yes' and had heard her say the others a few times before in conversation but he wasn't a hundred percent certain what they meant.   
  
“Mmm, you always need it rough don't you? My little sexy Russian slut.”  
  
Negan kissed down her neck, over her clavicle and down the valley of her breasts while two fingers crept upwards to tease her entrance. Negan delighted in the needy little noises Yulia let out. He loved this, to everyone else she was the strong-willed and powerful Russian but when Negan got her hands on her she became a need little girl that ached for his touch. Only Negan could reduce her to the quivering mess he saw before him. Shit, it almost got him off more than fucking her. The Savior leader slipped a finger into her delighting in the way her head fell back sheets, Negan set about tormenting his sexy Russian, he worked her to the edge and then pulled her back. Lee's nails dug into his naked shoulders leaving small crescent shaped bruises.   
  
“Negan, please.” She all but begged.  
  
How could Negan refuse her? All lay out before him to do with as he pleased. He spotted the quite tattoo on her ribs out the corner of his eyes when it peeked out from his leather jacket. Gently he traced the quote with two fingers while he pushed another into her wet heat, it made her hips bucked without her permission which made the older man smirk while his hungry hazel orbs at her up. With no warning Negan flipped Lee and pulled her up onto her knees. Negan placed a single kiss to patch of leather over the middle of her spine and then slammed into his Lieutenant; Lee yelped, a little sequel that was unlike her, it sounded more like a sweet innocent girl and it just made him want her all the more. Negan's pace was harsh and fast and she loved every second of it. Yulia gripped the sheets so hard her fingers went white, or at least she did until her arms gave way and she crashed down onto her elbows; Negan groaned at the new angle.   
  
“Harder!”  
  
She half begged, half demanded and Negan suddenly slapped her ass hard, it left a stinging red mark on her flesh. Negan chuckled at the claim it left on her. Yulia let out little mews when Negan gripped her hips and picked up his pace, thrusts hard and unforgiving. Suddenly he tugged on her hair forcing Lee to press her leather clad back against his still damp chest.   
  
“Fuck, you look so good in my jacket, my hand print on you.” He purred.  
  
Negan's right hand slid down to her glistening core, as soon as his fingers found her wet heat Lee's arm hand shot back to cup the back of his neck and keep him close.   
  
“All fucking mine aren't you, котик?” (pussycat) “Daddy's little girl.” He chuckled to himself and God did Negan like to talk. “Shit, I should put you on a leash and make you beg for it.”   
  
“Пожа́луйста, Negan. Бог, Пожа́луйста!” (Please, Negan. God, please!)   
  
Yulia couldn't take it much longer, the intense desire bubbling in her lower body, and the Savior leader knew it so he whispered, hot breath on her neck.   
  
“Cum for me, Yulia. Cum for me.”   
  
And she did, Christ she did. Le moaned out his name, her wall tightened around him as utter bliss overtook her thin body, a ripple of euphoria that washed through her as climax took her.  
  
“Fuck!” Exclaimed Negan when he felt her walls tighten around his length.   
  
The older man's thrusts grew erratic as a primal rut took him over, hands on her hips to pull her back onto him, impaling her. And then – at the last moment – Negan pulled out and splattered the back of her thighs and backside, her name on his lips.   
  
“Yulia!”  
  
The two collapsed against the bed and Lee shrugged off his jacket then cuddled into him. Negan chuckled to himself.   
  
“I'm never going to be able to wear that again without thinking about fucking you.”   
  
Lee smirked as she rested her head on his chest. “That;s what I wanted.” Negan wrapped an arm around the Russian. “Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the beard is gone, it had started to get too long. But I don't like you being clean shaven either, stubble, that suits you the best.”   
  
“Don't want much do you, darlin'?” He took a deep breath. “I think I like you're way of reporting to me. Worked up a sweat though, might need another shower.”   
  
“You and me both.” She said while running her fingers through the spattering of salt and pepper hair on his chest.  
  
The pair just lay there quietly for a while, her hair tickled his arm but Negan didn't care, she was there snuggled up to him. The only woman that actually wanted, truly wanted, to be with him since Lucille died. Christ men, Negan chastised himself, Grow a fucking pair and man the fuck up! Just fucking ask her. Negan sighed but Lee didn't seem to notice, she was just content to snuggle into his strong torso.   
  
A moment passed by and then Negan rolled onto his side to face the younger woman, so as he could look into her emerald green eyes. Yulia was so beautiful. He brushed a stray strand of raven-hair behind her ear as he just looked at her.   
  
“Yulia, I know you said you don't want to be one of my wives-” Lee cut him off abruptly with a roll of her eyes.   
  
“Negan, we've been through this so many times.”  
  
“I know, but... just fucking listen would ya?” A brief pause. “Please?”  
  
Negan very rarely said please so Lee chose not to complain and just let him speak. She nodded.   
  
Negan ran a hand through his still slightly wet hair.   
  
“Okay, em,”   
  
Negan had never been lost for words before, he was a talker, loved the sound of his own voice, the word loquacious didn't quite do him justice. When he started to speak again Negan sounded far softer – more vulnerable – than she'd ever heard him before.   
  
“Alright. Amber I had to get rid of, she just kept fucking pushing and pushing but the others, I just kept looking for any excuse to send them back down to gen pop, they still get perks but they're not my wives any longer. Sherry left, when I told her she was going back into the point system she asked if she could go to one of the outposts, apparently she doesn't want to be near Dwight. I sent her to Regina's outpost.” Was Negan rambling? There was a pause and Lee just looked at him.  
  
“Negan, I don't understand.” She told him, her accent soft.  
  
He raked a hand across his face as though he'd forgotten he'd shaved.  
  
“My point is that I got rid of 'em because every time I touched one of them I couldn't stop thinking that they weren't you.”  
  
The Savior leader looked at her with such feeling in his hazel eyes, Lee couldn't look away from him.  
  
“I-” He cut her off.  
  
“I don't have any wives left, and they weren't even that really, it was just an easy thing to call them. They were trophies. They never loved me and I never loved them. You're different Yulia, so fucking different. I'm not asking you to be 'one of my wives' I know you'd never agree to that and I don't think I fucking want you to. I'm asking you to be my wife. Singular. The only one. Be my wife? My Queen? I love you.”   
  
Lee was quiet for a time, just staring at him. Negan had never sounded so honest in all the time she'd known him. She sighed softly and ran a hand through his now dry hair.   
  
“Negan, you get bored easily. Please don't hate me for this but you will get bored and when you do I don't want to be the new head of your harem.”  
  
“Won't happen.” He told her with a hint of anger but it sounded as though it was directed at himself rather than Lee. “You're the one I want. I love you.”   
  
Softly Lee cupped his cheek, a gentle expression on her face, eyes seemingly pained.  
  
“Prove it.” She told him in a mournful tone.  
  
It hurt Negan that she didn't believe him, of course she didn't he was Negan, everyone knew what he was like. Lee knew about the wives, Lucille, how quickly he could turn on someone. Christ, he'd beaten the shit out of her... no wonder she didn't believe him. Negan was quiet for a long time, he'd not felt anything like this since he was a little kid. When Lee nodded to herself and slowly rose from the bed Negan grabbed her wrist and tugged her to look at him.   
  
“я тебя люблю, Юлия. ты выйдешь за меня замуж, котик?”   
  
Yulia stopped dead and just stared at him. “Что?” (What?)   
  
Negan wetted his lips, from the expression on her face he didn't think he'd said it wrong more like he'd shocked her.   
  
“я тебя люблю, Юлия. ты выйдешь за меня замуж, котик?” (I love you, Yulia. Will you marry me, pussycat?)   
  
Silence rained down on them as Lee just blinked at him until Negan finally broke it, he still had a grip on her wrist.   
  
“I think I pronounced that right.” He said almost as if to lighten the mood.  
  
“There are some things wrong in there but I understand it. How... how do you know how to say all that?”  
  
Negan rose and walked naked to the dresser, he reached into the draw closest to Lucille and pulled out the Russian to English dictionary he'd found in the library, she'd not even known he still had that. He tugged on a pair of boxer briefs while he was over there. When he turned back to her he flashed Lee a smile.   
  
“Was a bitch to learn, you know your sentences don't make a lick of fucking sense? But I got there.”  
  
The older man finally realised Lee was still quiet and glued to the spot, then he noticed the tears building in her emerald eyes.  
  
“Yulia?” He dropped the book on the bed and wrapped his arms around her, Negan could be a comforting teddy bear when he wanted to be. “What's wrong?”   
  
“You sat down and actually taught yourself that... for me?”  
  
“Oh, котик (pussycat), you're not the stubborn, cynical woman you pretend to be are you?” He asked rhetorically as he rested his chin on her head. “Yes I fucking learnt it. Thought it would be all special and shit, I didn't mean to make to bloody cry.” He sighed, that sigh that only cropped up when he let his guard down; a very rare sound. “I've loved two women my whole life, actually loved. I squandered my love with Lucille, I was a terrible husband, fucking terrible. Not with you though, you're my second chance, as fucking rom com as that sounds it's true.”   
  
“I've never heard you sound like this. So... open.”  
  
“Well, it's not something I'm fucking good at.” Negan bent down to retrieve his jacket that Lee had left on the floor and rummaged in an inner pocket for a moment them pulled out a small box. “I wanted you to know I was real fucking serious so I got you this.”   
  
He handed the black velvet box over to the Russian and after a split second she took it. Inside was a ring but not just any ring, the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.  
  
“There's this jewellery store a few miles from here, full of expensive shit and huge fucking rocks but I didn't think you'd go for that. It's the short of shit you stole all the time this I thought this would be more you.”  
  
Negan had never felt so fucking uncomfortable in his life. He watched as Lee stared at the ring sat snugly in the box. It really was beautiful. Yulia was acustom to gems and knew exactly what she was looking at, a asscher diamond of dazzling quality set in a vintage French cut setting and even though Negan had probably assumed the metal was silver or maybe white gold Lee knew the truth, it was platinum. Such a setting with a diamond of that level of carat and clarity, it had probably been the most expensive thing in that store. However, Negan hadn't known any of that, he'd chosen it specifically because he'd spent time thinking about what she'd like. He'd have probably brought her a bottle cap with a hold in if he'd thought that was what she wanted as a ring.   
  
He was about to speak and demand she said something when Lee pushed the box back into his hand, for a split second his heart fell but then she spoke.   
  
“Do it properly.” Negan raised an eyebrow. “Ask again, but do it properly.”   
  
Negan smirked at that, he took the ring out of the box and dropped down to one knee and 'did it properly'.   
  
“Will you marry me?”  
  
This time Yulia nodded, a grin on her face. “Да.” (Yes.)   
  
Lee held her hand out and let Negan slip the ring onto her finger, he'd never expected to do that to any woman except Lucille but he was glad he was. Lee had agreed to be his and Negan wouldn't fuck it up this time.   
  
“я тебя люблю.” (I love you.) Lee told him and wrapped her arms around his neck.   
  
“I love you too, darlin'.”   
  
The dark-haired man took the opportunity to kiss her pink lips but Lee suddenly knocked him down onto his back on the bed, he'd not expected it but he sure as shit wasn't complaining. Yulia leaned in to whisper in his ear, his hands found a home on her hips.   
  
“If I'm your wife that makes you my husband and I don't fucking share. You're mine.”  
  
Negan grinned. “Shit, you getting all possessive and territorial on me?” He liked it, he really fucking liked it.   
  
“You fuck another woman, man or so much as a seemingly attractive cat and I won't be happy, Negan. You fuck someone else, I'll fuck someone else.”   
  
Negan growled. “No one fucking touches you.”   
  
“Exactly. This is your only warning, Negan.”   
  
“Fuck, alright, baby, alright.” He relented, Lee was just like him so he couldn't really complain for reacting just how he would have. Negan just looked up at her to take in her naked beauty for a moment before a grin took over. “I'm going to announce you, be all fucking official and shit.”   
  
He pulled her close for a hungry kiss while his hands raked over her stunning naked body. She truly was his now and Negan wouldn't ever let her go, not after everything that had just happened.   
  
“You want me to get you a pure as shit white dress and everything?” He chuckled, that stupid grin coated his face while his hazel eyes gleamed. God he was handsome.  
  
“If you think I'm pure you haven't been paying attention.” She bit his lip and Negan felt his cock twitch with want again.   
  
“Well, you're my wife now so I think our duty to er, consummate the marriage.”  
  
Lee chuckled, the pair had clearly forgotten about the Church and debrief.


	20. Who's Queen

After two days Negan had gathered the entire Sanctuary together, he stood up on the catwalk staring down at them all with Lucille stowed on his shoulder. Lee and Simon stood on either side of their leader but Koby and Hal had gathered off to the side, they were never too far from their boss.  Hal absent-mindedly tickled Sobaka's ears. Simon looked ready to stab something but Negan had a huge grin on his face. 

“I bet y'all are wondering why the fuck I called you all here. Well, I'm gonna fucking tell you.” The crowed listened intently. “It's probably come to your fucking attention that I've not got any wives anymore, well, that's not entirely true.” Negan put his foot on the railing and leant on it so as Lucille swung loosely like a threatening pendulum. “There won't be any more  _wives_ there is however _The Wife_ .”  Negan held out a hand, a silent demand for Lee to join him, so she did. “You know Yulia is one of my Lieutenants, runs the Lincoln outpost, now she's my beautiful, sexy as fuck wife as well. Yulia is your fucking queen and she had better fucking be treated like it. Understood?” The crowed nodded while a few muttered  'yes Negan'. “You all know the consequences for touching the wives were severe.  _None_ of you want to fucking know what happens if you touch Yulia.” A brief pause, Lee had thought he'd just announce her as his wife – something he was doing more for his own amusement than anything else – not start threatening everyone, then again that was Negan. “Who are you?!” 

The mass responded almost instantly, as did Simon, Hal and Koby. “Negan!” 

Negan pointed Lucille at Lee, she raised an eyebrow but said nothing. 

“Who is she?!”

This time there was some hesitance to the crowed below them but they still responded quickly.

“Yulia!”

“Nope. Try a-fucking-gain.” He ordered.

This time the residents of the Sanctuary seemed to figure out what he was getting at and their confusion faded.

“The Queen!” That eyebrow Lee had raised climbed higher.

“Now you're fucking getting it! Dismissed.”

Rather quickly everyone went back to their day to day lives, Negan watched knowing they'd not dare lay a hand on his Russian now. He pulled Lee to his chest and passionately pressed his lips to hers, an over the top display for any of the crowd still looking up and Simon's benefit.  When the Savior leader – who's stubble had finally grown back – released her Yulia fixed him with a glare but he ignored her mild irritation in favour of squeezing her pert backside. 

“You didn't have to make me out to be royalty, Negan.” She told him quietly. 

“You're my wife, my only, so yes I fucking did. You're my fucking queen!”

“You're not Ezekiel.” She reminded him with an unimpressed expression.

“And aren't we all fucking thankful for that?”

Negan turned his attention to Simon, the moustached man had his hands on his hips as he looked everywhere but at Negan and his new wife. To Yulia he looked lost in thought. 

“You not gonna say con-fucking-grats?” The leather clad man chuckled when Simon appeared a little startled. 

Simon cleared his throat and raked a hand across his face. “Congratulations, Negan, Lee.” 

“Thanks,” Negan beamed “How nice of you to fucking say.” 

Lee rolled her eyes to the point she actually caught Hal's eyes and the pair shared a look that just said 'really'. Koby just chuckled quietly to himself. The three of them stood there and watched as Negan wandered over to his second-in-command, they listened quietly. 

“How are the fence repairs going?” Negan asked as he stowed Lucille back up on his shoulder. “You said we had a problem.” 

“Grant thinks he's fixed it, Negan.” Simon responded almost instantly. “He wants to add in wooden supports around the whole compound.” 

“And where the fuck does does Grant expect to find all this fresh fucking lumbar? Hmm? We can't just go around chopping down every tree in sight, the ones near the Sanctuary provide cover and act as a goddamn storm shield.” 

“We could use trees from Lincoln.” Lee suggested as she made her way over to Simon and her new husband, arms folded across her chest. “There are plenty and I've wanted a better line of sight from the roof to the main road for a while now. Would be nice to know my sharpshooters can shoot when I tell them to.”

Negan grinned. “See, Simon, this is why she's the smart one. Sexy as fuck, smart as hell, that's how I like 'em. Don't I,  котик?”  (pussycat) 

Lee nodded, though her half-smile was clearly unimpressed. “Да (yes).” Lee glanced to her Lieutenants. “Koby, go find Grant, tell him the plan and get him to pick a team.”

“On it, Boss.” He paused then looking somewhat crossed between confusion and concern. “Queen?”

Lee fixed him with a glare. “Do I really need to answer that question, Koby?” 

“On it, Boss.” Koby repeated before muscular man jogged off down the stairs. 

“That's what I thought.” She muttered to himself.

“Hal.”

Negan jerked his head, a silent demand for the man to join him, that only became more clear when he pointed to a corner over by the stairs. Yulia wasn't quite sure where this was going but she chose not to interrupt. As soon as Hal came close enough Negan slipped the arm not holding Lucille around his broad shoulders and pulled him close, like two criminals in cahoots. Lee kept her eyes firmly on the two of them, or at least until Simon's deep voice pulled the Russian's attention. 

“Why don't you like me?” Simon sounded puzzled and a little irritated.

Lee was caught of guard by the question but she refused to show it. 

“I don't dislike you, Simon... I just don't trust you and am not necessarily excited about your existence.” Simon raised an eyebrow. “In my old life I had to learn who could be trusted and who would lie, who would cause it to all blow up in our faces. I can't turn that off, it's part of me. You serve Negan well but there's a voice in the back of my head – sounds suspiciously like my father – that says you won't always.” 

The sincerity in Yulia's green orbs confused Simon, half the time he was scared she'd shoot him and the rest of the time he wondered if she even knew he existed. To his pleasure Simon stood his ground and looked the Russian dead in the eyes. 

“I've been with Negan longer than you-” She cut him off with a gesture. 

“Prove me wrong then.”

Simon smirked almost viciously at the younger woman. “I don't have to prove myself to you, girly.”

Lee shrugged. “Then resign yourself to the knowledge that I don't trust you. Either prove me wrong or live with it rather than whining at me like a six-year-old who didn't get a cookie.” 

The raven-haired beauty strutted off after that to fuck knew where leaving Simon to just stare at the space she'd previous occupied. Sometimes Simon hated that he liked her fuck you attitude.

Meanwhile Negan and Hal had formed a little huddle in the corner, Hal was a little taller than the older man by maybe three inches but that didn't stop Negan's personality dominating him. 

“What is this about, Sir?” Asked the secondary Lieutenant as respectfully as he could.

“My wife, Hal. It's about my wife, don't think I haven't noticed how you are with her. How you go fucking running every time you think she's so much as a _little_ upset.”

Hal's eyes went wide. “No, Sir, it's not like that-”

“Oh calm the fuck down. You honestly think I've not seen you eye fucking some of my men?” The taller man grew tense, he'd never really advertised the fact he was gay. “Fuck, get fucked, each to their goddamn own, I don't give a shit. You're gay, so fucking what?” Negan cleared his throat. “My Yulia looks at Evan and Connor like they're her little nephews even though they're older, your gay, Koby is the only one she'd even consider fucking and he's been getting all flirty with-” Negan paused, a puzzled expression on his face “-what's her fucking name? Isobel?

“Annabel, Sir.” Supplied Hal, he really had no idea where any of this was going.

“Whatever. Doesn't change the fact I know you're not eyeing up what's mine.”

There was another pause in which Hal grew even more confused, he just stared at the Savior leader uncertainly.

“Then what is it you want from me, Sir?”

Negan chuckled, he was liking the whole 'sir' thing. 

“Yulia is now my wife which means she's all the more fucking important. You know what my girl's like, all self-sufficient and argumentative so I'm making you her personal fucking bodyguard. You're always with her anyway so it shouldn't be too hard.” Suddenly Negan clapped Hal on the back. “You're her Lieutenant but you fucking work for me, don't forget that. You protect her, I don't give a shit from who or what but you protect her, even if it means throwing yourself at a fucking herd and letting them chew your goddamn balls off. Understood?” 

“Yes, Sir.” The Southern twang in his voice evident. “Hope it doesn't come to ball chomping though.” 

Negan roared with laughter. “I fucking love you, man. You're awesome!” The laughter stopped dead. “Now, piss off I've got shit to do.”

Negan started to leave but stopped after only a single step and swung back around to fix Hal with a terrifying glare.

“Oh, Hal. If she dies-” The Lieutenant cut the leader off, a brave act all things considered.

“You'll cave my head in until I'm nothing more than a bloody pulp. I know, Sir, I'd expect nothing less.”

The smile Negan gave him was devilish, that of a predator looking at it's prey. 

“No, Hal, it'll be far worse than that.” The leather clad man's voice remained calm and strangely quiet, it was actually rather petrifying. “I'll cave your fucking head in... eventually. Only after I've flayed you.”

With that he was gone and Hal tried not to conjure up a mental image of that.


	21. Happy Birthday

All were gathered around the poker table eyes fixed on Lee and Simon as the pot grew. Regina, Videl, Dwight and Hal had folded a while ago and Jessi – Videl's baby sister – was just there to watch... and tickle Sobaka. None of them could really read Lee's face and Simon had the skill to play the perfect game. Hal was a pretty decent player as was Regina but Videl had just been playing for fun; he'd be the first to admit he was out of practice. They'd been using random non-perishables and other treats as chips although that had sparked a debate as to whether a cereal bar was worth the same as a Granola; turned out it wasn't. 

“Shit, why do you keep winning?” Sighed Regina when Lee lay down her cards and happily raked in her winnings.

“My father taught me to read people, it was a whole thing. Illya thought he'd bring us booklets about it.” 

“Your Dad was Roman Stravinsky, right?” Asked Dwight as he took a sip of his beer.

“Да.” (Yes) She raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that?”

“I went to Rome with Sherr-someone once, got talking to a dude in a coffee shop about the newspaper. Some place apparently had some art, then it didn't.” Videl snorted. “The way that guy told it Roman Stravinsky was the prime suspect. No one could make anything stick with that man though.” 

“You remember that?” Asked Jessi, her Cuban accent wasn't as strong as Videl's. “One little encounter in an Italian coffee shop?” 

Sobaka cuddled in closer to Jessi, he probably liked her the most after Yulia and Negan of course. She was almost too thin and had flowing hair the color of chestnuts, her eyes matched her brothers, a piercing dark brown and somehow she always seemed cheerful.

Dwight sat back in his chair. “A Russian dude and his kids stealing crap all over the world like a fucking movie. Who wouldn't pay attention to that?”

Lee thought for a moment. “That would have been the bust, oh, and it wasn't my father, it was Illya and Vadim.” 

“Do you just have everything you lot have ever stolen locked up in your head?” Simon sounded incredulous.

“Not everything, but I remember that because it's the only thing we ever took from Rome.”

“But everything is in Rome.” Hal pointed out as he started to shuffle the cards for another game.

“Да, (yes) but we spent most of our time in France moving things back and forth between rival collectors.”

Each of them playing took a look at their cards and started to add to the pot, Lee had nearly gotten all of the peanut butter crackers and was determined to get the last few. Videl was forced to fold early, as was Simon but Hal and Regina stuck it out against the Russian.

“Must have been fun, Boss.”

“Actually it was rather tedious, Videl.” 

Jessi smiled. “Bet it paid well though.”

“More than well.”

“Shit!” Simon suddenly leant forwards as though curiosity had grasped him by the collar. “Were you like filthy rich or something?”

Lee found herself puzzled at why Simon was suddenly acting all friendly, she thought he hated her, but she said nothing about it.

“Does it matter? Money is worthless now, Oh, and full house.”

She quickly plucked the Peanut Butter crackers and pack of beef jerky from Regina then fixed Hal with a grin.

“Hal, I'll let you keep your Pop Tarts if you give me that bottle of Bourbon you have stashed in your room at Lincoln.”

Hal shrugged. “Fine, my sweet tooth overshadows my alcoholism.”

 

They all laughed and went back to playing. It was rare that such a game occurred, normally they'd all be spread out at different outposts so it was usually just Simon, Jessi and usually Simon that stuck around the Sanctuary.

After another game Arat joined them and she quickly wiped the floor with Videl.  When they were finished they all packed away the cards and gathered up their winnings, as she made to leave with Hal and Sobaka at her sides Lee spotted Videl and his little sister arguing quietly in the corner. Even though their voices were hushed Lee and Hal still heard them. 

“... but I want to help.”

“No, Jessica. You'll get hurt.”

“Something wrong?” Questioned Lee as she pulled open the bag of jerky and started to nibble on a piece.

“Yes there is, my Queen, he-”

“Lee.” She abruptly cut the young Cuban girl off. Negan had really gotten the whole Queen thing to stick and it had started to annoy Yulia. 

Jessi nodded. “Lee. I know I'm young but I want to learn how to fight, I want to be a Savior not just a worker. I want to help.” 

“You're too young.” Argued Videl. 

The Cuban man was rather a lot older than his sister, she was still in her late teens while Videl had just entered his thirties; there had been three other daughters between them and Jessi had been somewhat of a surprise. 

“Am not!”

“Yes you are!”

“Quiet!”

Lee yelled and the pair fell silent instantly, if that went on any longer they'd have started to sound like Kirill and Vadim when they'd argued over the front seat. 

“I agree that Jessi needs to learn how to fight, she needs to know how to protect herself. That's logical in this world, Videl. However, I agree with Videl that you are too young and could get hurt.” 

“Boss, where is this going?” Asked Hal, his Southern twang evident. 

“Hal, where is Scheider?”

Hal thought for a moment. “As far as I'm aware he's here at the Sanctuary. I remember he was at Lincoln a couple of weeks ago but I think he's been here ever since.”

“Good.” She turned her attention back to Jessi and Videl Perez. “Here's what is going to happen. Wyatt Schneider is going to teach you how to defend yourself and I'll have either Evan or Connor teach you to fire a gun.” 

“Boss-” Lee just continued talking.

“You won't be leaving the Sanctuary though, Jessi. When Schneider and the boys tell me you're good enough I'll talk to Negan about making you a Savior. We'll take it from there. Negan is in charge so he'll have to sign off on anything.”

“Yes!” The young Perez girl cheered. “Thank you. You won't regret this.”

“I'd better not.” The Russian warned as she tickled Sobaka's head.

The two men and Lee watched Jessi bounce off down the hallway out of sight, a cheerful smile on her face.

“Boss, are you sure about this?” Videl had a furrowed brow and sounded cautious. “She's still a teenager.” 

Lee sighed. “Videl, I understand you're worried and you have every right to be. Да, (yes) she's young but she needs to know how to keep herself alive. I didn't say I'd make her a Savior, I can't do that, only Negan can. I said we'd look into it and that could take a while.” 

Videl grinned. “You pacified her.”

“I did.”

“Thanks, Boss.”

With that Lee carried on down the hall while Videl ran off to catch up with his sister. When they rounded a corner she and Hal passed by several workers and they bowed. Hal noticed her tense, she didn't like the attention Negan had dumped on her. The Savior leader found the bowing amusing and it stroked his ego but Lee would have rather been ignored as she walked down the hallways. 

“My Queen.” Said one woman as Lee passed by her.

Hal leant in so as he could talk without anyone but Lee hearing him. 

“Do you want me to start telling people not to call you that?”

Lee shook her head. “ This is what Negan wanted. If I go around telling people not to call me their queen it'll look like I'm going against him. Best if you and the others all call me Lee or Boss, the workers can stick to Queen like Negan wants.” 

“But you don't like it.” He took a piece of jerky when she offered it.

“I know, he'll know that to but it's his way of separating me from the past wives.”

Suddenly Regina popped up beside them like she'd just evenessed, Hal practically jumped but he covered it well. 

“Lee?” The Russian stopped and turned to the other Lieutenant. “Just got word of a food bank, we wanna go have a look.”

“Why are you asking me and not Negan or Simon?” She raised an eyebrow. 

“Don't know where Negan is and you're the Queen.” 

“Doesn't mean you as me and not Negan, you know what he's like.” Lee pulled her radio out and brought it up to her mouth. “Negan?”

There was a crackle.

“ _Yeah, what is it sexy?_ ” He asked after a moment.

“Go private please.”

Another crackle as they changed frequency. “What's up, котик? (pussycat) Wannt some radio sex?” He chuckled.

“нет.” (No) She let out an exasperated sigh. “Regina wants to take a team to check out a possible food bank.”

“ _Normally I'd say s_ _he can go tomorrow, I don't want teams going out this late_ _usually but we're starting to run low on shit. Tell her to inform Simon who she's taking and get the fuck out there_ _._ ” A pause. “ _And why the fuck did I need to change channel for this? You got my goddamn hopes up there, Yulia._”

“Because I didn't want Simon to know she came to me before him.”

“ _Shame. Thought you had a craving for my big dick._ ” He chuckled.

Regina blushed, actually blushed, Lee had never seen that from the older woman before. Hal had just gotten used to it.

“God forbid a woman got bored of riding you, and you know I am stood right next to Regina and Hal.” 

Negan chuckled again. “ _I bet Hal is enjoying_ _the fuck out of_ _it._ ”

Regina rolled her eyes.

“Oh for God's sake.” Lee muttered to herself, Sobaka tilted his head as though he shared her sentiment. 

“ _Get your sexy ass up here now._ ” It was clearly an order, he didn't need to tell her why.

Yulia tucked her radio back onto her belt and looked over at Hal and Regina. 

“You heard the boss.”

“On it.” Commented Regina. “You enjoy your Negan, Queenie.” 

“Christ, please don't.” Groaned Lee while the secondary Lieutenant chortled to himself.

“Nah, too late. You're Queenie.”

With that Regina was gone. Of all Negan's Lieutenants Lee got on best with Regina, which was the only reason she'd not immediately punched the older woman in the face. 

“Hal, go find Schneider, I want him training Jessi tomorrow.”

“Yes, Boss... have fun.”

Lee flashed him a smile before she headed off up to find Negan; a task which didn't take long. He was in his room, the room they practically shared at this point. Strong, masculine arms snaked around her as soon as she entered and pulled her to his chest. Yulia's muscle memory expected to find the hard lapels of his leather jacket but instead her chest found soft fabric. Lee grew puzzled at that so she raked her green orbs over his strong form, she had to step back and just smile at him. 

“You like?” He asked with that devilish smile of his.

“Oh, I _really_ like.”

Negan was dressed in a suit, jet black with a matching waistcoat and tie as well as a crisp white shirt. He'd trimmed his hair a little as well. Negan's smirk grew. Sobaka didn't care though, he just padded over to the pile of blankets and pillows by the dresser that had become his bed, they'd found him a dog bed but the animal had quickly outgrown it and Lee was yet to find another that was both suitable and that she liked. 

“Shit girl, you really do have a suit kink don't you.” There was a hunger in Lee's eyes. “Bet you're all wet and hot for me already.” 

Yulia finally spoke without taking her eyes from him, she bit on her bottom lip as her pulse quickened. 

“You really do look good in that.”

“I look fucking good in anything.” Negan insisted. “Out of anything as well.” 

Lee kissed him through her chuckle and Negan instantly grinned as he backed her up towards the bed. Just when she thought he'd push her down onto it he leant past her and picked up a garment bag. 

“You said you'd wear one for my birthday, so suit up, котик.” (pussycat) 

Yulia raised an eyebrow and looked at the bag suspiciously. 

“Not your birthday, Negan.” 

The bearded man couldn't resist kissing her again, just a gentle peck.

“Yeah, it fucking is, go ask Fat Joey. Turns out that fat fuck has been keeping track of the days. Found out about a week ago that my birthday was coming up, and we've fucking reached it!” He held his arms out as though presenting something important. “It's April twenty-second so it's happy fifty-two, Negan!”

“That's your birthday? April twenty-second.”

“Uh-huh, that's me. When is yours? I should probably know that, being your fucking husband and all.”

She couldn't deny him that. “November thirteenth.” She answered simply, Lee had actually had to think for a moment; birthdays had become an unimportant and trivial thing. “Illya and I were two weeks premature.”

“Well, I'll just have to store that away for later.” He smirked. “Anyway, what I really, _really_ want is you in that fucking dress.” He gestured to the garment bag she held. “I'll be in my office, got some shit to take care of. When you're dressed get your sexy ass in there. I want make-up and everything not just the scary eyeliner thing you usually do.”

Lee tilted her head and put on that cocky smile of hers. “Any other orders you'd like to dish out for our prom date?”

Negan raised an eyebrow. “Nope, that's fucking it.” He turned to leave and called out to her as he pulled open the door. “But hurry up, Yulia. Shoes are on the bed, make-up is in the bathroom.” 

With that he was gone, Yulia committed the mental image of Negan's ass in those dress pants to memory as fast as she could. He really did look good in that suit. So handsome. It was so rare to see such clean clothes in the apocalypse. Lee had never seen the Savior leader in anything other than his usual Negan get-up but damn did she like it. The Russian wasn't sure when she'd developed her suit kink, maybe she'd had it forever, maybe it was an authority thing or maybe it was something else, all Lee knew was she wanted Negan to take her over his desk. 

Green eyes looked down to the shoe box sat on the bed and set the garment bag down in favour of pulling the box open. Inside she found a pair of cherry red heels with little ankle straps, she'd not worn heels since her father's wake; the world had ended before she'd had another chance. The shoes were beautiful though, sat there looking all pristine. Lee had only ever seen black heels on the former wives so they had to be newly acquired, she doubted the wives would have let a pair of shoes like the ones before her just sit around.  _How does he know my shoes size though?_

Her attention turned to the garment bag, she'd expected it  to be black and of course it was, a very short black dress with bardot sleeves. It wasn't really Lee but if that was what Negan wanted her to wear she'd put it on. It was his birthday after all. Curiosity had a hold on her, she couldn't quite believe he'd managed to keep that nugget of information to himself what with how much he talk. 

It didn't take long for Yulia long to strip off her clothes, she tossed them down onto the bed and just smiled down at the set of lingerie that sat beside the shoe box. How Negan kept finding all this stuff she'd never know, although it did give her an amusing mental image of Simon wandering around a ruined Ann Summers with a list. Clearly Negan had really put some thought into his birthday present. 

The dress fit her almost perfectly and flared slightly, once the shoes were on Lee stood there a moment before the mirror in an attempt to get used to the height again, probably best not to fall on her face in front of Negan. Would ruin the mood. The raven-haired beauty combed her hair and pulled it over her left shoulder to hang in gentle waves, Yulia had forgotten she could look like that... pretty. Sure enough in the bathroom she found another of Negan's gifts in the form of pallets and lipsticks, considering how old it all was the make-up was it very good condition. She'd expected with how out of practice she was applying it all would have taken ages but turned out muscle memory took over. 

It had been so long since she'd looked like this, all dolled up. Bold red lips pulled her shoes into the outfit. With a deep breath and one final look in the mirror Lee left Negan's room after she said goodbye to her beloved Sobaka and headed down the hall to his office at the other end of the corridor. She knocked on the door and waited for the gruff 'come in' before she went inside. At his desk sat Negan looking at a stack of papers, he was wearing glasses. Negan glanced up at her after a moment and grinned as he leaned back on his chair. 

“Fuck, baby girl. I'm hard just looking at you!”

“It's rare to see you in your glasses.” She told him with a smile as she strutted towards him.

“Don't fucking tell anyone, it makes me less fucking scary.” He grumbled and reached to take them off but Lee was having none of it.

“I think it makes you sexy.” Yulia smiled as Negan shrugged off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves revealing his toned arms. “Care to unwrap your birthday present?” 

“Christ, yes! Get the fuck over here!” Negan pushed his chair back from the desk with his foot and shot her that sinful smile before he patted his knee invitingly. “Come sit in Daddy's lap.” 

Yulia obeyed without hesitation, she straddled him and let her arms snake around his neck as she grinned. 

“Happy birthday, Daddy.”

The Russian loved the way his eyes grew dark and hungry when she used that word. He groaned, she'd not actually called him 'Daddy' since that first time in the wives' communal room but she knew it would get a reaction out of him. The bearded man kissed at her pale neck while his fingers travelled down over her flanks to her hips then under the skirt of her dress, over the lace top stockings and finally up to squeeze her ass. She could feel how hard he was as she moaned.

When things grew more heated Negan loosened his tie, then, with a grin, he yanked it off and quickly tied it around Lee's arms behind her back. The raven-haired beauty could have stopped him if she'd wanted but the smile on his face was just too good to refuse, she knew what was coming and sure enough as soon as the tie was pulled tight Negan forced her up and bent Lee over his desk. In seconds he'd flipped up her little skirt to gaze at her backside. 

“I'm going to fuck you so hard, котик.” (pussycat) 

 

“Then get on with it!”

She demanded and suddenly Negan grabbed a hold of her long hair and yanked her backwards which forced her to arch her back. 

“You don't give me fucking orders, Sweet pea!” He growled into her hear then slapped her ass, hard. Yulia moaned. “You know what I wanna fucking hear, sexy.” 

“... Daddy.”

Negan groaned. “That's my girl. My Queen.” 

The birthday boy traced two fingers along her fabric covered sex when he finally released her hair. He hummed in anticipation.

“So fucking we for me already. You my perfect little wife, huh? You don't take shit from anyone do you? Only obey me.”

That was Negan's ego talking again, from any other man it would have sounded arrogant and pathetic but from Negan it was expected and somehow his deep voice and possessive tone made it just a little bit sexy. His large hand came down on her ass again and it was perfect, left behind a red mark and soothing sting. Negan pulled on the tie around her wrists which forced Lee's back to further arch so as the Savior leader could kiss her neck once more. Then his hands were trailing down her body once more, little electric sparks shot though her skin. 

“Please!”

How could Negan deny his darling wife? Yulia was his queen and the whole Sanctuary knew only _he_ could touch her. _Only him!_ Anyone else and he'd take their goddamn hands. Negan ripped Lee's little panties off, not pulled them down her thighs, no, literally ripped them from her and tossed them aside. That was all the warning she got before he buried himself to the hilt inside her, Lee cried out in pleasure. Negan set a fast pace, this was to be rough and hard, his favourite. 

“Like that, baby doll? Like it all hard and fucking rough. Daddy's perfect little girl, ain't ya!”

Yulia wanted to grip the dark wood of her husband's desk but she'd got no chance, Negan had her hands bound too tightly behind her back. Husband, that would take some getting used to. There was something about Negan that was just  _more_ than any other man she'd been with, the Russian didn't quite know how to explain it, more presence was as close as she could get to labelling it but even that wasn't right. 

The older man had a tight grip on his wife's hips forcing her desperate body back onto his erection. Lee moaned. 

It was strange to think that in the old world Negan and Yulia lived in different circles, they were so alike and yet never would have laid eyes on one another, but in the apocalypse they had become husband and wife – in name anyway – a team. The world had to literally ended in order for them to be together, there was something strangely poetic about that. 

The pleasure built between the two of them until Negan surged into what could only be described as a primal rut. Harsh, fast, rough, perfect. Negan came with a cry, fingers gripped her hips so tight she was sure she'd have bruises the next day. Lee felt him spill inside her. 

“Shit! Shit, sorry.”

Negan always pulled out unless he had a condom on, but this time she'd just felt too fucking good, he'd not been able to control himself. She'd felt so tight and wonderful around his hard length. 

“Negan!”

Yulia shot to her feet and scowled at him. The dark expression actually scared Negan a little; of course he'd never admit that to her or himself. 

“I'm fucking sorry, котик.” (pussycat) He sighed. “I'm sorry. I lost control.” 

“You-” Was all the Russian got out before she was cut off by Simon on the radio, she continued to glare at him while Negan answered. 

“What?!” He demanded.

“Negan, Regina just radioed in for back up. Her team is under a-fucking-tack. She thinks it's the same assholes that are set up at the that church.” 

“Shit!” Negan growled. 

They'd wanted to storm that place but it was too heavily defended for them to even consider a blind frontal assault.

“Get a fucking team ready to move the fuck out. I want these shitheads alive!” 

Negan slammed the radio down as Simon responded with a quick 'on it'. He turned his attention back to his young wife. 

“Yulia-”

“Go, I'm in a dress and full of your cum. Not really my best outfit for killing. Just go.” She gestured for him to go, an awkward movement since her hands were still bound. “Untie me first though, would you?”

Negan quickly acquiesced and tossed his tie down on the desk, it was crumpled and probably wouldn't see much use until Negan's next 'let's dress up for sex' phase. He knew she was right, he needed to go but he could still see the annoyance in her gorgeous green eyes. 

“Okay, but we're talking about this when I get back. You know I didn't do that on purpose right?” His eyes flashed with concern as he gestured towards her lower half generally.

Lee breathed out a laugh. “Of course I know that, now please, Negan, just go. Have Evan and Connor go with my men. I'll join you with Hal and Koby soon.” 

“Thanks, babe. Check you being my back up.” He pressed a kiss to her supple lips. “I'm taking Cherry.”

Lee raised an eyebrow. “You're taking what?”

“Cherry. The fucking Mustang my sexy as shit wife got me, that's what I called her.” Negan beamed then leant in to kiss her quickly. “Love ya.”

Yulia just nodded as left, he only paused long enough to grab Lucille and his keys. Negan loved that bloody car but Cherry? Okay so it was cherry red, but the name seemed to obvious for her husband. Lee supposed it didn't really matter, it was his Mustang if he wanted to name it Cherry who was she to argue?

The twenty something Russian cleaned up as fast as she could and radioed for Koby and Hal to meet her in the garage, some birthday that had turned out to be. She didn't bother washing her make up off, it wasn't important, the dress had been discarded on the bed beside the red heels and Lee couldn't remember ever having dressed so quickly. She threw on her clothes and beloved tail coat then whistled for Sobaka to join her from his mass of pillows as she slipped her thigh holsters back on; she enjoyed their comforting weight. 

She and Sobaka descended the Sanctuary levels quickly but paused in the stairwell when she saw Koby heading towards her, she could see Annabel – Koby's girlfriend – watching from her door. Koby had that just fucking look on his face that Lee was sure she wore as well. Neither Yulia or the tall black man said anything as they continued down to the garage, it wasn't exactly an awkward topic, just that Koby didn't feel the need to tell and Lee didn't feel the need to ask. 

When the pair finally strutted into the large garage – frankly it was probably the largest room in all the factory – Hal appeared wearing a tactical vest she'd never seen before.

“You preparing for war or something?” Lee asked, her accent thick.

He flashed her a smile. “Can never be too prepared, Boss. I saw it in the market and saved up to get it. It says FBI on the front for fucks sake, of course I was going to get it.” 

The vest did indeed have FBI in large white letters on both the front and back, probably best Negan hadn't come across it first. It was only then that Lee realised Negan had just left, he'd not changed his clothes, he was out there in some fire fight in a goddamn motherfucking suit! Was there anything less Negan? 

“You should have Margaret make you a SVR for Savior, mate.” Said Koby as he check the magazine of his weapon. 

Lee glanced around to make sure her truck was being loaded up how she wanted when she next spoke. 

“You know I'm a Lieutenant, right? If I tell the market you can have something, you can have it.”

Hal nodded. “I know but that's not fair on everyone and it was sort of like old days having to save up.”

“Alright.” She said frankly. “You do look like you're going on a drugs bust.”

They didn't really have time for whatever kind of conversation it was they'd stumbled into though, so when her truck was loaded up she, her mini-Lieutenants and Sobaka clambered in and raced off like a bat out of hell. 

 


	22. All Out War

  
When Lee and her men stepped out of the truck the noise almost deafened her, weapon discharge, screaming and cries of pain. The scent of blood drifted through the air and for a moment the Russian thought she'd entered a mini war zone... well, technically she had. Green eyes instantly spotted a black leather jacket amidst the chaos as he swung Lucille into some dude's head, the guy had the audacity to try and get back up though so Negan promptly took out his gun and put the man down. Lee had no idea where all of this had come from, everything had been so calm and yet there she was stood amongst madness.   
  
Yulia only snapped back to real-time when some ginger haired asshole launched at Negan with a machete... and Negan didn't see it coming. Lee shouldn't have feared though because Sobaka took him down, snapping teeth and snarls that quickly punctured flesh, the attacker's screams died with a gurgled choke of blood; that puppy had grown into quite the attack dog.   
  
“Oh shit!” Exclaimed the Savior leader as Sobaka ripped the enemy's throat out. A smile pulled itself onto Negan's face. “Thanks, boy.”   
  
He quickly pulled Sobaka behind the nearest cover which happened to be an old burnt out car that seemed to be more rust that car. With a smug grin Negan wiped the blood from Sobaka's furry face as best he could with is red scarf with a serene calmness that didn't belong in the gunfire going on around them.   
  
“You take this Savior shit seriously, don't ya boy.” He tickled the German Shepherd's ears. “Good dog.”  
  
In a split second decision Negan tied the scrap of bloodied fabric around Sobaka's neck and checked the magazine of his weapon.   
  
“Let's go kill these fuckers. What is it your Mom says, huh? Убийство.” (Kill)   
  
At the command Sobaka raced off so fast it actually stunned Negan for a second, as the snarles mixed with screams he took his radio out and leant against the rusty car.   
  
“Simon, head around the back and surround these sons of bitches!” Negan had enough of this shit, he didn't appreciate these fuckers killing his men.   
  
“On it!” Came the moustached man's quick – and slightly crackled – response.  
  
Meanwhile Lee worked her way through the chaos to Regina, both weapons drawn and a scowl on her face. With a well aimed shot she took out the woman who had her friend pinned with Hal at her side; he refused to leave her. Lee knew that was Negan's doing.   
  
“Regina, what the hell is going on?” Asked the Russian as she helped the other Savior up.   
  
“Don't know.” She growled as chaos rained around them. “They knew we were coming. How, I don't fucking know. Assholes killed Brent!”  
  
Brent had been Regina's favourite of her outpost's men, he actually had a brain in his head... and was nice to look at.  
  
“They've been watching us. Negan isn't going to be happy.” Said Hal  
  
“No fucking shit.” Grumbled Regina.  
  
Their radios all kept crackling with different Saviors yelling over one another until Negan's voice cut through them all and everyone fell silent to let him speak. Regina, Yulia and Hal quickly took cover as soon as they could, the second they had that minor safety they all reloaded.   
  
“Simon, where the fuck are you!? Shit-” Silence.  
  
Lee knew it was stupid but her head shot up from her cover behind one of the cars in search of her husband, it really was a stupid act and she paid for it when a stray bullet grazed her shoulder. It clipped the Russian and knocked her back.  
  
“су́кин сын!” (Son of a bitch) She hissed and grabbed her shoulder.  
  
Hal easily took out the shooter, this was madness, too many people running around to be able to tell who was who. They couldn't stay here long or they'd all end up killed by friendly fire. And then it all ended, the Church soldiers started to fall back as quickly as they were able, the Saviors continued to pick off the stragglers but Lee couldn't help feeling something was wrong. Yulia ignored the throb in her arm as she rose to her feet and holstered her weapons as green orbs search for Negan. It had sounded like he'd been hit rather than shot, in each second that passed Lee grew more and more concerned. She couldn't see him, he want there, then her heart clenched. Over by the west corner of the building lay Lucille, she had a light coating of blood on her but Negan wasn't with her. They'd taken him.   
  
The only way they would have been able to not only knock out Negan but actually get him to a truck was if Simon hadn't done as Negan had instructed and gone around back. Suddenly she heard Negan shout and her head shot up to see a man in a black polo shove her husband into the car after pistol whipping him, in an instant Sobaka raced after them and then it all happened so fast, Black Polo pulled out his gun and fired then raced into the driver's seat and took off. Lee was practically shaking, Negan was gone and the fucker that took him had just shot her dog. The Russian launched to Sobaka's side, Negan's scarf bloody around the animal's neck.   
  
“Koby!” She screamed.  
  
The tall black man pulled Sobaka into his arms and raced to the Jeep with Evan and Connor's help. Lee's mind slowly returned to her and she spotted Simon getting his injured men loaded up quick lest the attackers return. Regina helped her up, Lee's hands were covered in dog blood as she continued to shake.   
  
“I'll deal with the dead.” Said Regina but Yulia hardly registered it her emerald eyes of fury were too focused on Simon. “Take Sobaka to the Shephard Office Outpost.”   
  
“What?”  
  
“There's a vet there, his name is Colin. He'll help him.”  
  
Lee nodded. “Thank you.”  
  
As her mind started to function again she rushed to join her mini-Lieutenants in the Jeep with Sobaka. 

~X~

Several hours later Lee headed back to The Sanctuary. Regina's man, Colin, had patched up Sobaka, it had been touch and go for a while but Sobaka was safe. Colin had wanted her beloved dog to stay with him at the outpost but as reluctant to leave him alone as she was she knew he needed to be with the vet. For her own piece of mind Lee had insisted Connor stayed as well.   
  
When she walked up onto the catwalk with Lucille loose in one hand, everyone stared at her as though they'd not expected he to appear, clearly Simon had been addressing the Sanctuary civilians but she didn't care one little bit. He went silent when he saw the anger in her emerald orbs. She strutted straight to him and promptly punched the moustached bastard in the face knocking him back into the railing.   
  
“He told you to cover the back and surround them!” She yelled, her accent thick. “But no, you ran a-fucking-way and the took him!”  
  
“I had no choice but to retreat-”  
  
“Иди нахуй!” (Fuck you) She interrupted with a snarl.  
  
“I could have lost my men.”  
  
“Don't fuck with me, пидора́с.” (Faggot)  Lee truly didn't care that everyone was watching, that the Queen had just punched Negan's second in command. “The whole area was basically Savior controlled and you fell back anyway. He's gone because of you!”   
  
“She's right.” Regina suddenly said which sliced through Lee's anger as she glanced over to Negan's other Lieutenants and Dwight.   
  
Simon tried to stand back up but stumbled back against the railing only for Gavin to help him to his feet.  
  
“You didn't do anything and they took Negan.” Regina continued.   
  
“They wanted him all along, didn't they.” No one really paid any attention to Gavin, in fact Regina just talked over the end of his sentence.  
  
“Then you tell the whole Sanctuary. That's not protocol... or maybe you wanted something like this to happen.”   
  
“Now hold on a fucking minute.” Simon pointed a firm finger at the Lieutenants. “I'm Negan's right hand man-” Hal cut him off.   
  
“Always the right had never the leader.” Gavin snorted at that.  
  
“I will get Negan back-”   
  
“No.” Growled Regina. “You might be Negan's second-in-command but Lee is his Queen and you've proven yourself incapable.” Regina turned from a stunned Simon to Lee. “What are your orders, my Queen?”   
  
“What?” Lee's eyes were wide.  
  
“Yeah, what?” Simon's heart went a mile a minute, he didn't like where this was going.  
  
Gavin released Simon and stepped over to Lee. “Regina's right. She can get Negan back, you can't.”   
  
“Oh, hell no!”  
  
Simon took a single step forwards but that was it, Koby had come up the other staircase behind Simon and grabbed him before he could do anything stupid.   
  
“Lee?” Regina urged softly, the short haired woman really had become Lee's friend.   
  
The Russian nodded, Regina was right.  
  
“Alright.” She thought for a moment. “Hal, move Simon to his room and have someone guard him, Negan can deal with him when we get back.”   
  
“And the workers?” Asked Gavin while he gestured to over the railing to the civilians.  
  
Lee sighed. “How much did Simon tell them?”  
  
Gavin sighed as well, almost mirroring the raven-haired beauty's “Almost all of it. Negan's gone being the main thing.”   
  
She nodded and turned to Koby when his voice caught her attention; he handed Simon over to Hal. There was a spark of satisfaction as she watched Hal drag Simon off.   
  
“Tell them something, Boss.”  
  
Lee wasn't used to public speaking, this was way out of her comfort zone. Yulia had always worked in the shadows for a reason.   
  
“Negan made you the Queen for a reason. He didn't do that to make you some sort of glorified wife, he did it because he trusts you.” Regina encouraged.  
  
The Russian knew she didn't really have a choice, she couldn't just walk off and leave them all confused and with hundreds of unanswered questions. With a deep breath she stowed Lucille up on her shoulder and addressed the masses.  
  
“Simon is telling the truth, Negan has been taken. He was taken while trying to save others, taken trying to bring your family and friends back to you. These church hugging assholes, these... Gargoyles, wanted Negan and we failed him. We won't fail him again because without Negan we are nothing and no one. Without him we are not Saviors. Negan saved all of us, built a community, gave us a safe haven to raise our children. We will not turn our backs on him. The Gargoyles,” Lee liked that, the name would probably stick, “took him for a reason, and that means The Sanctuary us under threat. I don't know about you but I will not fucking stand for that.” With Lucille on her shoulder and looked every bit as imposing as Negan stood there before everyone. “We will take back our leader. Our Savior and then we'll send those Gargoyle bastards to whichever God they choose.”   
  
She smiled when the Sanctuary let out a cheer. It was alright, she's smoothed over the whole situation.   
  
“Who are you?!” Lee called out.  
  
“Negan!” Cried the crowed.  
  
“Damn right.”  
  
Unbeknownst to Lee, Gavin had shuffled across the catwalk to where Dwight and Regina had been stood the whole time; he grinned.   
  
“Shit, she's sexy.”  
  
Regina just glared at him, of all the times for Gavin to come out with that. She'd never really liked Gavin, he, to her, was an utter idiot and deserved regular slaps to the back of the head. However, that being said, he could get things done when he wanted to, probably the reason Negan hadn't killed him years ago. Lee speaking again drew their attention back.   
  
“I am in charge until Negan is returned to us, anyone got a problem with that?”   
  
Silence. Utter silence. Yulia could do this, she could be in charge, she had Hal, Koby, Even and Regina there to help. Suddenly someone from down in the crowd called out in a loud, deep tone.   
  
“All hail the Queen!”  
  
The rest of the crowd called in. The Russian didn't want that, they should have only done something like that for Negan, not her. There wasn't any stopping them though so she let them get it all out. Eventually their chant died down much to Yulia's pleasure and she carried on talking.   
  
“A lot is going to be asked of you in the next few days, but I know you can all handle it. Dismissed!”   
  
Lee quickly made her way over to Gavin, Dwight and Regina, she was fleeing the crowd but couldn't let anyone know that little nugget of information.  
  
“Why do that do that?” She asked the group quietly.  
  
Koby smiled. “They see how strong you are and know how important you are to Negan.”   
  
“And they trust you to protect them.” Added Dwight.  
  
Regina cleared her throat. “What are your orders, Queenie?”  
  
Lee's initial reaction was to demand Regina stopped calling her 'Queenie' but she knew it wouldn't do any good, the nickname had stuck and there was nothing she could do about it. Instead of arguing the Russian just took a subtle breath and then gave out the asked for orders.   
  
“Okay,” she turned to Dwight who'd leant on the railing. “Dwight, we have a lot of injured, I want you to make sure Carson has everything he needs, make sure our people live. Have a team bring the other doctor from Hilltop if we get desperate.”  
  
“Can do.” He nodded then marched off down the catwalk stairs.  
  
“Evan, Koby, I want you to go back to the outposts. Koby, go to the Chemical Plant and get their defences up. It's the outpost closest to the Church so if they attack anywhere again it'll be there.”   
  
“That's my outpost.” Gavin fretted but Lee brushed him off.  
  
“I'm getting to you. Connor is at Regina's outpost with Sobaka so I want word sent to do the same in case we're wrong.” Just then Hal returned, he never left Lee alone for long. “Evan, go to the Satellite Outpost, I don't want Simon's men getting any ideas.”   
  
“On it, Boss.”  
  
Lee loved the way Koby and Evan always hopped straight to their task as soon as they had their orders.   
  
“Hal, perfect timing, where are Videl and Ross?”   
  
Hal cleared his throat. “Em, Ross was injured, not too bad by the looks of it. Not sure where Videl is. You want me back at Lincoln?”   
  
She shook her head. “нет (no), they'd not attack Lincoln, it's too far out of the way for them. You're with me.”   
  
“Good.”  
  
Yulia took a breath. “Regina, I want all the able men you've got. You're with me too.”   
  
The short haired woman grinned at that. “Hell yeah, take the fight to them.”   
  
Lee turned to Gavin, a hesitantly reluctant expression on her face. She sighed.  
  
“Gavin, if you make me regret this I'll kill you myself.” She paused to let that knowledge sink in. “You have the Sanctuary.”  
  
Gavin's eyes went wide, a hint of horror flashed across them. “Huh?”  
  
“I'm going to get Negan and Simon's out so you have the Sanctuary. I want the perimeter so well guarded ants can't get in. No one gets in or out, Dwight will report directly to you, so, any of those people turn and get out of the med wing and it's your head.”   
  
Gavin nodded, he knew not to underestimate Yulia Stavinsky. “Understood. I won't let you down.”   
  
With that Gavin jogged off muttering something about the fences, after a moment of watching where Gavin had been stood Lee leant over towards Regina.   
  
“Why does Gavin suddenly like me?”  
  
The ever so slightly shorter woman laughed. “Easy, he thinks you're sex on legs right now.”   
  
“Ew.”  
  
“Yeah.” Regina agreed with a shiver.  
  
“Get everything ready, God knows what they're doing to my husband.”  
  
Regina grinned and shared a look with Hal seemingly surprised.  
  
“That's the first time you've said that, 'your husband', sounds good.” She smiled. “Don't worry, we'll get him back. We are Negan, remember.”   
  
Lee took comfort in the pat Regina placed on her back then left to do as Lee had asked. For a time it was just her and Hal stood there on the catwalk, the crowd had disbursed and everything had fallen quiet again. Hal just watched her with a comforting smile.  
  
“I'll find Videl.” He paused for a split second. “Are you going to make him a Lieutenant?”   
  
Lee chuckled. “Not right now, just find him. I'll be in Negan's office.”   
  
Then she fled. Lee was used to working in the shadows, she didn't make speeches and she sure as shit didn't organise rescue missions. Yulia slumped into Negan's chair with Lucille in her lap the second she got into the office, her heart thundered in her chest.   
  
“It's just you and me, girl.” Somehow it felt better to talk to the bat.  
  
Yulia wanted Negan back, needed him back. The last time her heart hurt so much her brother, Illya, had vanished. All the dark-haired woman could do was get things back so things could go back to normal. Negan would be in charge, she'd head up Lincoln, go on runs; normal. Lee didn't know how long she sat there in Negan's chair, it could have been long before there was a knock on the door and Fat Joey entered to inform her Simon wanted to talk. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just fyi, I REALLY don't suggest ever saying 'пидора́с' to a Russian. You will be punched at the very least and more than likely end up needing a trip to an ER depending on who you say it to.


	23. I Woke Up With A Cracking Headache And Met A Mad Man

Negan awoke to darkness and one hell of a headache similar to a screwdriver to the brain; it took him a moment for him to remember getting clocked on the head. Suddenly he realised that he was slumped on a ice cold floor and his right wrist was chained up to a ragged brick wall, he couldn't see it but he could feel the sharp shards of brick. As Negan continued to blink his hazel orbs around what he thought was a pretty large room he spotted a sliver of light that came from under some sort of metal door to his left, but that was it, it was too dark to see anything else.  _Fuck it's cold,_ Negan actually shivered and pulled his leather jacket around himself as best he could. The sound of a semi-constant drip but the way it echoed off the brick walls made it impossible to pinpoint. Negan shivered again and tried to pull his legs in to conserve warmth, that was when he realised his boots and socks were gone. 

“The fuck?! I liked those goddamn boots.”

“Floor over by the door is covered in broken glass.” Replied a voice from the black opposite him. 

In an instant the Savior Leader shot to full alert, or at least as well as he could with what was probably a concussion.

“Who the shitting hell are you?” Negan demanded. 

“Taron Charles Colt, but everyone calls me TC.” Negan couldn't see the man but he heard him sigh. “Trust me, anyone who gets out of the chains doesn't get far. Glass won't stop you but it'll certainly leaves a trail for them to follow.” 

“Well, _TC,_ I'm Negan-” TC cut him off.

“I know who you are.”

Negan chuckled. “My fucking reputation precedes me. Good.” He tugged on his shackle “Why are you all chained up? You're one of them right?” 

TC huffed out a laugh, it sounded bitter, and Negan heard him shuffle a little causing his chain to rattle. 

“I went against our leader. Me and my friend helped a woman and her daughter get out of here. Our oh so perfect leader,” yeah, no sarcasm there “he's not a good man, about as far from one as you can get actually. Oddly though he's the sort of person you'd like, you know, if he wasn't a rapist, murderer piece of shit. He'd taken a shine to Laura but she knew it wouldn't be long until he grew bored and moved on to her daughter, Jacqueline. We couldn't let that happen, Jac is only seven. My daughter hated that Jac had to leave but it was for the best. God, I hope they're okay.”

Most people would judge a man initially on what he looked like but Negan couldn't do that in the pitch black, instead he had to rely on TC's voice. He sounded as though he honestly cared, and Negan was very good at spotting a liar. Suddenly a memory flashed across the front of Negan's mind and he cringed, the car crash from months back that he and Lee had found. The woman and her child. 

“This woman and her kid. How long ago did you get them out?”

Negan could almost feel TC raise a questioning eyebrow. “Maybe six months ago.” 

“Shit!”

“What?” TC's voice filled with concern. “What did you do to Laura and Jac?”

“I didn't do shit to them. I tried to help them.” The Savior leader sighed. “They hit a biter, car flipped and smashed into a wall. It was an accident.”

“... They're dead?”

“That little girl, Jac, did she have a pink rabbit toy?”

Negan remembered seeing it covered in blood beside the little girl, a memory he really didn't want. Usually he was numb to death and gore but she'd been a seven year old girl. Kids shouldn't die like that. 

“Yes. It's Noelle's, my daughter's. She gave it to Jac.”

“Then yeah, they're dead. If it's any consolation, that little girl didn't know what hit her.”

“It's not but thank you.”

There was a pause then where only the sound of the drip echoed around the room. If it was possible their cell had actually gotten colder. After a time Negan found his eyes adjusting to the darkness that surrounded him, so much so he was actually able to make out the outline of Taron Charles, he seemed slender and probably about Simon's height, he had a hand chained as well but that was as good a description as Negan could get in that moment. 

“If you're down here for helping them escape that would mean you've been down here months. Why haven't you tried to escape by now? Especially if you have a kid.”

“My friend will take care of Noelle, he's like an uncle to her. And I've only been down here a few days, turns out it took them longer than expected to figure out who helped them. They've been too busy with you and your people. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten them that car.”

Negan tugged on his shackle while TC spoke to test how strong it was but that chain wouldn't come out of the wall any time soon; damn. Frankly he'd have had a better chance of gnawing his own arm off. 

“You gave 'em a chance, it's not your fault. Now, is your mate coming to break you the fuck out or is this _Escape From Alcatraz_ shit down to me?”

TC sighed and Negan's adjusting eyes  watched the younger man rest his head back against the wall. 

“He might, he'll need to make sure Rabbit – that's what I call Noelle – is safe first. She's only six.” Taron Charles cleared his throat. “They haven't decided what to do with me yet, you they're going to destroy. They really want that factory and all the resources.”

Negan growled. “There's no way in fuck that's happening. No one is taking the Sanctuary.” 

He tugged on his shackle again but still it wouldn't budge. That morning – or at least what he thought was that morning – he'd had his wife bent over his office desk, utter perfection, now he was sat in some ice box with a  dude called Taron Charles;  _seriously who names their kid that?_

“Sanctuary. I like the sound of that. Like Heaven on Earth at this point. Somewhere safe for Noelle is all I've ever wanted, her Mom died not long after she was born and all she's ever known is this horror.”

“We've got kids at the Sanctuary too, I have to fucking protect them. I won't let some crazy shit head destroy what I built.”

Both men fell silent when the sound of heavy boots marched down the hallway, seconds later the sound of a door unlocking echoed around the room and then light flooded in, Negan and TC were blinded for a moment but the blinked rapidly through it until a man in a black polo came into focus. 

The man was balding and flanked by two goons with rifles, his shoulders were broad. Negan's hazel orbs trailed down to the three men's feet where he saw little shards of glass just as TC had said. For a moment Negan's eyes flashed over to the other chained man to gage his reaction, a mix of anger and hatred. TC looked colder than Negan in his thin blue plaid shirt and less than stellar jeans, his hair was a light blonde and shaggy, his face coated in stubble that bordered on becoming a full beard just like Negan's and his eyes were the color of sea foam. The leather clad man actually found himself surprised by the man's youth, he couldn't have been any older than Yulia but he'd spoken of a child. 

Black polo shirt kicked him in the hip then to draw his attention back with a sharp pang of pain, Negan glared up at him looking all evil and official. Though TC gave the man death glares he stayed very, very quiet, if that was for his daughter's safety or some other reason Negan didn't know.

Looking up at the bastard that had knocked him out Negan quickly realised that this man was a dog on a leash, balding hair and aggressive build. Big, garish and vicious. He was there to intimidate, the real boss' prized pet. Negan wasn't afraid. 

“Enjoying your stay?” Black Polo chuckled.

“Well, I'm missing a fucking mint on my pillow and the Wifi is out but other than that I'm just fucking peachy, asshole.” 

The man crouched down before the Saviour leader with a conniving smirk and then before Negan could even open his mouth the balding man slapped him across the face, hard. He sound bounced off the walls. 

“I won't be taking shit from the likes of you.” He growled. “Now, you can call me Baxter, not asshole. You do it again and I'll cut your dick off.” _Ooh, straight to the heavy threats, I like this dude._ “You'll do as your old.”

Negan couldn't resist laughing at that, even before the world had gone to shit he'd never once done as he was told. Clearly irritated by the Savior's reaction the balding man snarled but hadn't realised how close he was, Negan grabbed him by his black polo shirt and head butted him; TC snored at that but it ended abruptly when one of the gargoyle shoved a gun in his face. The bearded man was smart enough to know he wouldn't get another free shot but he delighted at the sight of blood pouring down Baxter's nose and over his lips. By that point it was fairly safe to assume that Baxter hated Negan with a passion. With a disgusted expression Baxter rose to his feet and turned to his gargoyles still in he doorway.

“I think someone wants a chat with him. Bring him!” He ordered as he marched out of the chilly dungeon and off to wherever the hell it was they were taking Negan. 

The two men with guns unlocked his shackle, slapped on a pair of handcuffs and then forced him to walk ahead off them, he tried to step over the glass but one of the asshole's behind him shoved the gun barrel into his back which forced him to stumble and set a foot down on the glass. He refused to show any pain, wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

The bearded man was forced down a long hallway that seemed incredibly old and then to a flight of stone steps, once up a level everything grew more modern, plaster on the walls instead of bare brick and it actually seemed warmer. Negan did his best to map the place out, obviously he'd been in a basement of some sort but the upper level was a mass of twisting hallways that were utter blind corners. As if to prove his point a man with dark hair in a waistcoat rounded one of the corners and bumped straight into Baxter quickly followed by a little girl. The man in the slate colored waistcoat opened his mouth, probably to apologise, but Baxter shoved him back against the wall before he could speak, the child with him looked horrified. 

“Out of my fucking way, Boris.”

Negan stood there a second looking at the slender man to his left, here was something about him that – a gun barrel shoved him, it hurt and Negan longed to just spin around and kill the bastards but he was outnumbered, out gunned and there was a kid in the line of fire. Instead of arguing he just followed Baxter. 

They went up another level and up to to a set of dark double doors, the two goons moved to guard the door while Baxter knocked politely then opened them up and shoved Negan inside. 

The room looked like something out of the nineteen-twenties but had more modern items decorating the place, like someone had only changed what was in the room over the years rather than painting or remodelling. One thing Negan did notice though was the temperature, so warm compared to the ice box in the basement.

Negan found himself forced down into a rickety chair before a large desk by Baxter after a moment, the chair was totally out of place in the room, everything else – though old – was in amazing condition. He heard the sound of a flush and then the door behind the desk opened revealing a bathroom from which came a man with white hair. He was probably about a decade older than Negan but other than that they were very similar in hight and body shape; strangely that irritated Negan. The man before him looked healthy and strong, his hair was thinning, he had a stubble beard and grey eyes hid behind black rimmed glasses. Negan thought the man too clean for the apocalypse, he wore black slacks and a white jumper... like pure white. Clearly the man was full of his own importance and not in the happy-go-lucky way that Negan was. 

  


“So you're the local equivalent of Satan.”

“Good afternoon, I'm Arthur Moran.” Said the man as he perched on the edge of his desk almost like a principal talking to a child. “Baxter informs me your name is Negan. Tell me, is that your surname or something you invented?” 

Negan said nothing, surprisingly, just glared at the older man. 

“It really doesn't matter, I suppose. Mister Negan, I brought you here for a reason-” 

It was then Negan chose to cut Moran off with a smirk so sharp it could have cut through flesh. 

“Was it for my charming fucking demeanour and scrabble skills, _moron_?”

The older man's eyes darkened. “Moran!”

Arthur Moran had changed in an instant, like the flip of a switch. Before Negan knew what was happening Moran had punched him square in the face and just kept going. The man had gone from polite substitute teacher to madman in a single heartbeat. Either Negan had touched on a nerve or if Moran was just unstable, frankly in the world they lived in I could have been either or – as Negan suspected – both. The chair he'd been forced to sit on toppled back with the force of Arthur's punches and Negan cracked his head against the hard floor, blows were rained down upon him and all he could do to defend himself was throw his arms up over his face. After a second or two to let his mind catch up Negan managed to kick Moran off of him only for Baxter to grab hold of him and throw him back down on the righted chair. Baxter's actions seemed to have somehow snapped Moran out of whatever murderous rage he'd been in and once again he returned to perch on the desk looking innocent and almost kind. 

This man wasn't right in the head. It was only then that Negan realised his captor was even more volatile and unpredictable than he was, and that was fucking saying something. 

Moran sighed. “You're going to be a pain, aren't you, Mister Negan.” He said as he straightened his glasses. 

Negan didn't speak, wouldn't risk pissing him off again until he figured out exactly what sort of nutter Moran was. Instead he went back to looking around the room and Moran went back to speaking, none of it seemed overly important to Negan so he did that thing he did where he appeared to be ignoring whoever was speaking when in actuality he was taking in every word. 

The Savior's brow furrowed when he spotted a bowl of what looked like beef jerky on Moran's desk. He had no idea how they got a hold of that, Lee would have told him if the Church bastards had cattle and he'd been over the whole area with his men for food. Arthur's grey eyes gleamed when he noticed Negan looking at it. 

“Oh, that's my own little snack, only a select few of us here get to taste it. It's a – shall we say – acquired taste.” He picked up the bowl. “However, I believe in being polite and hospitable. Have some.”

Arthur offered the little bowl to Negan and it instantly set off alarms for him, he shook his head. 

“I'm good.”

Deep in his mind Negan knew what he was being offered but he didn't want to believe it. Baxter chuckled from the door where he loomed like some sort of ghost. Negan opened his mouth to speak but Moran snapped his fingers and the next thing Negan knew his head had been ripped backwards and Moran was stuffing a piece into his mouth, had he had the use of his hands Negan would have shoved the bowl up Moran's ass. He tried to fight them but being outnumbered and the fact almost all of him hurt – especially his head – meant the were too strong and he was forced to swallow the morsel of jerky. 

The two men backed away then with shit-eating grins on their faces.

“Mister Negan, we have a three strikes policy here-”  _what is this a fucking job interview?_ “- some get exiled.” Moran leant in almost conspiratorially. “Can you taste their fear? They say killing an animal when it's scared ruins the meat but I find it's quite the opposite, all that adrenaline makes you feel strong. Alive.” 

“You're fucking nut, you know that, Hannibal?”

“You swear a lot.” Moran told him as he took a piece of meat for himself.

Negan shrugged. “Swear words, sentence enhancers, same thing. Doesn't change the fact you are fucking insane.”

“Aren't we all. 'A madman is not someone who has lost his reason but someone who has lost everything but his reason', do you know who said that, Mister Negan?”

“I don't give a shit.”

“G.K Chesterton, a very insightful man.” He set the bowl down and adjusted his glasses. “Now, Mister Negan, all I want from you is that factory and everything that is inside it.” 

Negan snorted. “Not a goddamn hope in fucking hell, Dahmer.”

“You say that now, but we both know your people can't survive without you, they'll kill one another. However, they can survive without that factory.” The white-haired man cleared his throat. “I already have your satellite outpost next I'll take that chemical plant and eventually that school the pretty girl with the dog runs.” He closed his eyes for a second to imagine Yulia and Negan wanted nothing more than to cave Moran's head in. “Mmm, she is beautiful. I see why you keep her around. I shall have word send to your people, what is it you call them? Saviors? Silly name, there's no saving anyone any longer.”

“So you brought me in here to monologue? Usually that's my thing.”

Moran rose to his feet then and rounded his desk to take a seat opposite Negan, that smile still lingered on his too thin lips. 

“No, no, you misunderstand. I simply wanted to meet the man whose empire I intend to take, that's all. It's only polite. I'll have your factory and resources soon enough.”

Negan roared with laughter at that. “No you fucking won't. My Queen is coming for you.” 

Arthur's eyebrows shot upwards with interest. “Queen? Really?”

“Oh yeah,” Negan leant forwards and locked his hazel orbs with Moran's grey ones. “and she's going to fucking destroy you, ya sick fuck!”

Arthur was silent for a moment then his head tilted to the side. “Is this queen that tailcoat wearing young woman you seem so fond of? She truly is stunning, I'll enjoy bending her over my desk when this is all over; it's the only thing women are good for after all. I bet she tastes so good.” 

Negan's eyes grew dark. “I'm going to really fucking enjoy watching my wife smash your fucking head in.” 

“Well, we shall see.” There was that shit-eating grin again. “Anyway, I need you alive for now, Mister Negan, but that doesn't mean I need you in one piece. Baxter is going to have a little fun with you.” 

The Savior flashed a look over at Baxter. “Sorry, he's not my type.”

The white-haired man chuckled a little at that. “Shame, because you're just cocky enough to be his. Take him!” 

Baxter jumped into action and almost lunged across the room to pull Negan to his feet, he still had blood around his nose and the urge to head-butt him again filled Negan but he refrained.

“Oh, Arty, 'there is only one difference between a madman and myself. The madman thinks he is sane. I know I am mad'.”

Moran grinned, suddenly impressed. “Well, aren't you the surprisingly educated one.”

Baxter and his two goons forced him back through the building into the cold basement rather quickly almost as though they were doing some sort of speed run, almost before he knew it Negan was back in the dungeon room where TC remained chained. The blonde man looked at him sorrowfully when Negan was marched past him to a tiny door he'd not noticed before, when the door opened Negan was greeted by a table full of bloodied tools and knives... Negan knew what was coming.


	24. Don't Show Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some torture in this chapter that some might find graphic.

Negan had been strapped into what looked like an old dentist's chair for almost an hour waiting for Baxter, the man had just grinned at him when he finally appeared. The Savior leader felt cold than ice, no shoes, no shirt, no socks, but Negan wouldn't give Baxter the satisfaction of shivering. It was just the pair of them in that little dungeon like room just like the day before after he'd been introduced to Arthur Moran. 

Just behind him Baxter had an array of tools, some sharp others blunt but all covered dry blood; all for the scare tactic but Negan wasn't a pussy. Hazel orbs watched as the man known only as Baxter picked up a blade that glinted in the light of a single lightbulb that swung back and forth every time the door opened, which wasn't that often. 

“I'm sorry our time together was cut short yesterday, I do hate being being called away.” He grinned at Negan. “However, it let you tenderise a little longer. It's always best to tenderise the meat.” 

Negan was covered in bruises that had started to turn different shades of red and purple, he didn't think anything was broken but fuck was he in pain. Had Baxter not left the day before Negan probably would have lost his foot. 

“Sorry, dickhead, but only my wife gets to swallow me.” 

Baxter laughed at that, a deep sound that echoed around the room.

“You're a funny man, Negan. Almost a shame to kill you when this is all over, maybe we'll just cut your arms and legs off then sit you in a corner so you can crack jokes at dinner. You're nice and strong though, gonna get such a good steak out of you. Gonna taste so good.” 

Negan had done some truly horrid things in his life but these people just knocked it out of the park, they were more monstrous than even he'd been able to imagine. Negan clung to his humour, it kept him safe. 

“Look, I'm not into guys and I'd only go gay for Babe Ruth. That man is the best baseball player of all fucking time. You seen, Ned Williams held the record for most home runs in a season with twenty-seven, but then Babe came along and fucking destroyed it with twenty-nine in nineteen-nineteen. He did even fucking better the next wear with fifty-four, no one else even reached twenty. Then again that was the Sultan of Swat for you, total badass. Between nineteen-eighteen and nineteen-thirty-one he lead or tied the AL in all home runs twelve times in which he smacked six-hundred-and-two long balls when no one else even made half that.”

Baxter just stared at Negan for a moment, he'd started to wonder if the Savior Leader ever shut up, So far Baxter had only known Negan to be quiet when unconscious. 

“You really like baseball, don't you. I was always more of a hockey fan myself. But, if you're done with who you'd go gay for I can get back to work.” The balding man let out a little hum as he looked Negan over. “You need your legs for the moment, I'm sure as shit not carrying you about.” 

Negan watched the silver blade as Baxter raked it teasingly over his naked chest. Negan could understand putting the fear of God into a man but Baxter seemed to crave it, then again it shouldn't have come as a surprise to find they were all crazy as shit. 

“Hmm, what do you think you'll need least? Huh? Fingers? Ears? Cock?” Baxter gestured with the knife as he spoke.

Negan snorted. “Have you seen my wife? My cock is the thing I need most.” 

The bearded man refused to be scared, he refused, he was Negan, he didn't know how to be scared. To see the fear in Negan's eyes was what Baxter wanted and there was no way in hell Negan would give it to him. 

Suddenly Baxter leant in close and yanked Negan's head back by the hair, clearly the man had learnt from their previous head-butt incident. 

“Think I'll start with a little taste.”

Before Negan could furrow his brow or think of a witty comment Baxter straightened up, took hold of Negan's left nipple and sliced it clean off. Baxter grinned at the pained groan of agony that the bearded man did his best to stifle, almost as though he'd won a prize. Negan watched through searing pain as Baxter looked the tuft of useless flesh over and then popped it into his mouth, he chewed slow and deliberate both to torture Negan and savour the taste. The bearded man was disgusted, it took a lot to make a man like Negan feel physically sick but watching a crazed cannibal munch on his flayed nipple did it; Baxter just smiled. 

“Oh yeah, you're going to be a good meal, I can tell.” Negan had to fight his gag reflex when Baxter swallowed. “Maybe I should take a sample to Moran, only polite, he is the boss after all.” 

“... Can't let him miss out now fucking can we.” Negan hissed through the pain. 

The man in the black polo shirt chuckled to himself like some kind of cannibalistic joker while blood rolled down Negan's chest, the pain was strange, like a small sting that radiated outwards along tiny veins along his torso. How did that aftershock of pain hurt worse that the actual cut flesh? 

“Good, we're on the same page. Go ahead and scream, I do enjoy music while I work.” Said Baxter in a deep tone.

Negan knew what happened next world be agonising so he forced himself to prepare and went stoic. Baxter grabbed himself a slightly more heavy duty knife then circled him slowly, an animal with its prey. The Savior leader wished that the balding man would just get on with it and take his other nipple but Baxter clearly enjoyed fucking with him. Baxter came to a stop before him once again but just when Negan expected to loose that piece of flesh the balding man crouched down to his left with a grin that would have put Chucky to shame. Baxter grabbed Negan's left hand and splayed the fingers out, of course Negan resisted but Baxter quickly slashed the blade over his bloodied torso. Another sharp cut of pain. 

“Behave,” ordered the Gargoyle second-in-command. “or I'll cut your cock off.”

That was about the third time Baxter had threatened to do that and Negan couldn't help but wonder if the other man had a dick fixation. Eventually Baxter managed to splay his fingers out and trapped them in place with his blade. 

“Are you left or right handed? You might need to sign something.” 

_Shit!_ Internally Negan was panicking but he refused to show it. 

“Right, you asshole.”

Baxter slashed him again before chuckling to himself and tapping the blade to each finger in turn; he took way too much pleasure out of the whole situation. 

“This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed at home, this little piggy had roast beef... and this little piggy was beheaded.”

With a gleeful giggle Baxter pulled Negan's pinky finger taught and sliced through it quickly taking it off just below the knuckle. Negan screamed through gritted teeth.  _Jesus mother fucking Christ!_ Negan refused to cry out but he'd sure as shit scream in his head.  The burning throb surged up his arm and into his shoulder, Negan's vision blurred and the urge to throw up struck him again.  Baxter ginned as he looked over the amputated finger then licked blood from the end, had Negan been looking at him when Baxter had done that he'd probably have lost it and thrown up on himself. 

“Be a good boy and stay here for me.”

With that Baxter stormed out the little torture room slamming the door behind him. He waited a few moments and then Negan let the pain come, his head dropped as he cried out in searing agony. It took a few moments but he did get control of himself, breaths came heavy and deep, hazel orbs fell shut. A few moments Negan heard TC call though the heavy metal door. 

“Stupid question,” he began as loudly as he could “but are you okay?”

“... Oh, I'm fucking perfect.” Negan called back sarcastically. 

“At least you're alive.”

Alive? Yes. In one piece? Not so much. “Yeah, fucking great.” Negan grunted.

Everything went quiet for maybe fifteen minutes after that but the pain in Negan's chest and hand didn't grew any better. The dark-haired man didn't know how much more of him Moran would allow Baxter to chop off and he didn't want to fucking find out. 

Suddenly two men burst into the bloody room, untied Negan and drug him out to the wall where he was chained opposite TC again.  That ice cold chill gripped him again and he longed for his t-shirt back but it was nowhere to be seen, his leather jacket had been balled up beside him though so at least he still had that.  Negan didn't know why he'd been taken back to the wall but Negan was pleased he got to keep the rest of his limbs a little while longer. 

 

XXXX

 

The sun had just risen when Simon stepped out of the tree line with three of his men and Regina just behind him, his hands were raised as he looked over the church that was actually more the size of a small monastery. Simon had to admit the place was impressive and naturally fortified. The moustached man cleared his throat then called out loudly knowing the guards would be able to hear him. 

“I want to talk to your boss!”

Frankly Simon was surprised he'd not been shot on sight considering the small army that had their weapons trained on him. Regina looked ready to race to the nearest cover and start shooting but instead she stood her ground beside Simon, refused to let her eyes dark back and forth. 

It took a few minuets but the man they'd seen before in the black polo shirt strutted out of a large size door with two Gargoyles armed with full automatics and Suddenly Simon was thankful he'd brought Schneider with him. Schneider usually stayed at the Sanctuary to train the Saviors but this was one of the few times the slender man had ventured out. Simon truly was thankful the dark-haired man had because gripped tightly in his hands was his M110 SASS hijacked from his military days. 

Everyone was on high alert as the black polo shirt approached, it would all go south very, _very_ quickly if they weren't careful.

“Put your weapons down!” The balding man demanded of Simon's men but Simon just shook his head.

“Can't do that, mate, everything is holstered. We won't fire, it's just a little insurance.” He stuck his hand out. “Hi, I'm Simon.” 

“Baxter. Now say your piece. Although I have to admit, we were expecting the sexy one.” Baxter looked away a second in thought. “What was it he called her, oh yeah, his Queen.”

Simon chuckled darkly as his hands lowered to rest on his hips, Regina looked away angrily.

“The Queen is dead. That bitch though she could push me out, I'm Negan's second but she just couldn't stop giving out orders. She got too big for her fucking boots so I put that bitch down. I told Negan not to bring her in to begin with, should have listened, instead he turned into a pussy. Got her a dog and played happy goddamn families. Pathetic.” Regina continued to glare at the overgrown grass at the thought of her friend. “I'm Negan's second but I think it's time for a new régime. Sorry if you had something planned, I lured the slut in when she thought she'd won, told her I wanted to talk and choked the fucking life out of her. She got sloppy when she thought she'd taken over.” Simon shrugged. “Most of the Saviors are loyal to me anyway, wasn't hard to get the rest to fall in line.” He turned to the other Lieutenant. “Was it, Regina?” 

Baxter looked him up and down again. “So what? You expect Moran to stand for you leading that piss poor factory? Nah, not gonna happen, asshole.”

“Nope,” Simon shook his head “I had something else in mind. The Saviors obey me and Negan has proven himself weak. Like I said a new régime is needed. We need a new boss and I think your Moran might be it. I'm a great second-in-command. So, why don't you go get Moran so we can have a little chat.” 

A lopsided smile formed on Baxter's face, an expression that unnerved both Regina and Schneider, though they'd never admit to that.

“That chick is actually dead?” Simon nodded. “I can't wait to tell her husband!” Regina took a deep breath that inadvertently drew Baxter's attention. “What's up with her?”

Simon followed Baxter's loose gesture to the woman to his right. “Regina? Oh, she was BFFs with Lee.” 

“And you let her have a gun? You got balls.”

“No, Regina knows better than to try and kill me unless she wants Schneider here to shoot her. Now, am I getting that talk or not?”

A pause.

“Wait here, I'll speak with Moran.”

Simon nodded and watched as Baxter retreated back though the large door.

About fifteen minutes and a very awkward silence passed before Baxter and an older man Simon assumed was Moran appeared, in an instant Simon, Regina, Schneider and the men they had hidden for emergencies picked up on the face the new man before them was insane and probably more unpredictable than Negan. Still they all stood their ground, Simon had survived Negan's mood swings so he could survive Moran's crazy. 

“Hello, Simon is it?” Moran held his hand out and after only a moment of hesitancy Simon shook it with a nod. “I'm Arthur Moran. I hear you've brought me a willing army, I have to say I was expecting a fight, looked forwards to it even.”

Simon smiled. “I can get you a fight. Yulia's men, they didn't take kindly to me killing their Queen. They're all in the cells back at the Sanctuary. You can do what you like with them."  

Moran's face lightened. “How generous.”

Simon shrugged. “Well, I'm a nice guy.”

The older man smirked at that as he looked Simon, Regina and Schneider over, his eyes lingered on Schneider's weapon.

“What is it you want then, Simon?”

“I already told your friend, Baxter. The Saviors will do as I command, you could kill me but then you'd be missing out on more than doubling your people. All I'm asking is your integrate us. I give orders to the Saviors, you give orders to me.”

“Tell me, Simon, why not just break out on your own? Control them yourself, be your own boss?”

“I'm a better right hand than I am a leader, and I'm smart enough to know when I'm beat unlike Negan. We-” 

Suddenly Simon was cut off by Baxter's radio crackling to life and a voice screamed through it. 

“ _Baxter! Negan's escaped!_”

Moran glared at Simon and then all hell broke loose. Gun fire and shouting erupted, Moran fell back into the church as Simon called out to take cover which everyone quickly obeyed. They couldn't stay long, the sharpshooters up on the roof would eventually manage to pick them off if they did.


	25. Escape

Negan sat bruised and bloody chained to the wall with TC opposite to him in the darkness, he could still hear that fucking drip. Everything hurt and he was fairly certain he wouldn't have been able to walk without help, his left knee wasn't broken or dislocated but it sure as shit was swollen. 

Suddenly the heavy door was thrown open and light poured in which forced both chained men to hiss in pain and shield their eyes as they looked away. Baxter. Of course it was fucking Baxter, probably back to cut something else off as if his nipple and finger hadn't been enough. 

“Hi, asshole.” Baxter beamed like the cat who got the cream.

“The fuck do you want?” Negan growled, he'd not let Baxter see his agony. “Is it my next appointment already?” 

That smile on the balding man didn't fade, if anything it grew brighter as he came close but the anger became apparent when Negan was suddenly kicked in the stomach forcing him to hunch over and wrench his bound wrist. 

“Not quite.” Baxter chuckled. “Just thought I'd let the next of kin know.” That chuckle echoed across the room. “You're second-in-command just killed your wife. Sorry but your slut's dead, no more Queen. I'll let that sink in, buddy.”

Negan didn't speak, surprisingly, and Baxter left filling the room with darkness once more. He just stared off at the dark in silence, he didn't know how quiet how long he'd been quiet but it must have been some time because TC actually startled Negan when he spoke. 

“I'm sorry. The biters we expect but that...” TC trailed off lamely for a moment before he took a breath. “What was her name?” 

“... Lee.” He told the younger man quietly as he thought about the first time they'd met, he huffed a laugh then. “The most badass bitch I've ever fucking met. She's saved my ass so many times.” 

“How long had you been married?” Taron Charles asked with genuine interest. 

“Not long, not even a year.”

“Oh,” the blonde was surprised by that “it's just you talk about her like you'd known her for years.” 

“I-” Negan snapped back to the real world then and out of his memories, anger washed over him. “What's with all the fucking questions?” 

The sound of TC's chain rattled. “Nothing, just curious is all. It's not like I've got a magazine or anything.”

Negan shook his head, he'd hardly even listened to the younger man. 

“I don't believe she's dead. Can't be. My girl is too fucking smart to be taken out by Simon. My wife isn't dead. She's fucking not. I've seen her break into a panic room, I've seen her kill a fucking deadite with a beer bottle, I know how long she survived alone. She's my fucking Queen, she's unkillable.” 

Negan wasn't in denial, he knew his Yulia was alive, knew she wasn't dumb enough to be taken out by Simon of all fucking people. No, it would take someone like Negan himself to kill her. 

“Maybe she's not, but if Baxter knows you wife is supposedly dead that means someone told him. Do you think your guy Simon would have gone all turncoat?”

“I wouldn't fucking put it past Simon in this situation. Goddamn asshole.”

“If he has turned your factory and people over to Moran then we're not getting rescued, we're fucked. Unless we can figure out a way out of this bloody room then we're all going to die, I won't let Noelle die. I won't.”

Shadows appeared under the door then, partially blocking the small slit of light out, feet, single person if Negan's eyes didn't deceive him. 

“Whoever this dick is,” Negan started in a whisper “goad the shit out of them until they come close then smash 'em in the face. I'll do the fucking rest.” 

The door was thrown open once again and just as before the bold light stung their eyes, Negan didn't blink though, couldn't, his hazel orbs went wide. 

“.... Lee?” Yulia smiled at him stood there in the doorway, he'd known she wasn't dead. “I fucking knew it!” 

The Russian raced to him then and gestured for him to be quiet before she started to pick his shackle open as quickly as she was able. Negan grabbed her the second he was free and crashed their lips together. Alive. Yulia was alive. He'd lost one wife, he couldn't take the pain of loosing the other. She tasted like bitter coffee and Negan revelled in it, his wife was alive, he couldn't describe the wave of relief that washed over him. The raven-haired beauty whispered into his ear so only he'd hear. 

“я тебя люблю, Negan.” (I love you, Negan) 

“I love you too, sexy.” Negan glanced over at TC then and loosely gestured towards him. “Get him free too.” Lee raised an eyebrow. “Let him the fuck out so he can go find his kid.” When Lee rose to her feet and went to TC Negan turned his attention to the blonde as well. “Go get your daughter and that friend of yours. You're welcome at the Sanctuary.” 

Taron Charles lit up, eyes wife and grateful. “Thank you.”

As soon as he was free the blonde shot up and escaped the room in search of his child, Negan couldn't blame him. Lee helped him up and that was when the full extent of the agony in his leg made itself known.

“Jesus motherfucking christ!” He growled as he leant on his wife.

“I don't think anything is broken but there's no way you can walk on your own.” She told him in that thick accent of hers. “You need to lean on me. Come on.” 

Slowly they left the room, Yulia had one arm around her husband and the other firmly on her drawn weapon after she handed him her Ruger.

“No Lucille?” Negan hissed just for something to say as they made their way down the long hallways. 

“She's safe and sound with Hal.”

“And Sobaka?” He asked cautiously.

“That mудак (asshole), Baxter, shot him.” She hissed.

They turned a corner thankful to find it vacant of Gargoyles, if they did get spotted Negan knew he wouldn't be any help to her; not that he didn't think Yulia couldn't handle herself. 

“How do you know his name. Ahh, shit.” That had to stop a moment when Negan put too much weight on his left leg. 

“Simon left his channel open.” She gestured to her radio as she helped him rest against one of the cold walls so she could peek through a door that didn't seem to fit its frame properly. “It's clear. Up the stairs then two lefts and a right and we're back where I got in.” 

So they went, steps slow and quiet to avoid the few Gargoyle's that littered the corridors, Negan had started to think Moran didn't have nearly the amount of men he pretended to. Just as they got passed the second left turn an alarm sounded and had them grounding to a halt. 

“They know your out.” Said Lee as though Negan hadn't already figured that out. 

The pair moved faster then, Negan's leg stung like a bitch and screamed at him to just stop but he ignored it in favour of hurrying. They turned the second left and Lee practically bounced off of a slightly taller man in a waistcoat, in an instant Negan raised the Ruger intent on killing the man and fired but faster than anyone had thought possible Lee pushed herself away from Negan and between the two men. He shot her, it was an accident but he'd shot her. Lee collapsed on the dusty floor a hand over the bullet wound in her abdomen. Negan ignored the pain and dropped to the floor beside her and strangely so did the man; both horrified. 

“Kотик (pussycat), why? What the fuck?!”

“Brother.” She choked out out awkwardly.

Negan's eyes widened as they slowly moved over to the man's exposed forearm where he held the back of Lee's head, it was littered with little black dots. The constellation she'd told Negan about. He'd seen that man before when he'd been marched through the hallways by Baxter and he should have realised it then. This man was Illya Stravinsky. 

  


 

“сестра!” (Sister) There were tears in Illya's eyes. 

“...Брат.” (Brother)

Negan shook himself out of his thoughts and back to the world around him, his hands were covered in his wife's blood and thoughts of Lucille kept screaming at him but no, he couldn't go there. Not until Lee was safe and Doc Carson was with her at least. 

“We haven't got time!” He growled.

Lee grabbed her brother's arm and fixed him with a serious but pained stare. “Help him, Illya. I'm right behind you.” 

Illya didn't speak, he just threw Negan over his shoulder much to the older man's displeasure and too off towards the exit while Lee forced herself to her feet and followed close behind her husband and brother. The wound wasn't clean through, the bullet had lodged itself inside her abdomen  and Lee knew she needed a doctor sooner rather than later; she was just going to keep bleeding. Strangely the only thing she could think of was how grateful she was that she'd not put her tailcoat on. She felt faint but pushed on anyway. 

Illya forced open the exterior door after having shot the guard there with his trusty shotgun and rushed outside into the light where he was instantly faced with Yulia's mini Lieutenants and a small team, he couldn't count the number of guns he had pointed at him. 

“Negan?” Hal lowered his weapon and rushed to their leader, he helped Illya set him down on the ground behind an old rusted car that they'd all been hiding behind about a fifty or so feet from the door. 

“He good?” Asked Hal as he crouched down beside Negan, a thumb gestured to Illya who looked ready to fight his way out if needed. Surprisingly it was Illya that answered. 

“Cool it, sexy. I'm friendly.”

There was a mass of shocked expressions around him then, a black man with a shaved head nodded to himself with a smile as he leant against the car.

“You're her brother.” Hal glanced around urgently then. “Where's the boss?”

“Right fucking behind us, dic-” Negan cut himself off when he couldn't find Lee, she wasn't there. “Yulia!”

No answer, Negan tried to force himself up but his legs wouldn't let him, they weren't broken but he couldn't put his full weight on them. If Baxter hadn't been called away Negan probably would have lost a hand and foot by now rather than just a finger and nipple. 

“Hal,” Negan began with a hoarse growl “get people the fuck in there and get her! Now!”

Hal nodded and rose to his feet a look of anger on his face, but before he and the others could take a single step towards the door again a plethora of Gargoyles spilled from it, there were out manned and out gunned. They couldn't go back for her.

“Fall back to the truck!” Yelled Evan.

Hal and Koby looped their arms with Negan and practically dragged him backwards towards the tree line where they'd hidden the truck. Negan didn't even really have chance to process what was happening all he knew was his wife was still in there, bleeding, alone. He couldn't lose another wife. 


	26. Zugzwang

 

When Negan returned to The Sanctuary with Illya, Hal and the other secondary Lieutenants he was quickly shuffled in to see Doctor Carson despite his protests and growls. Hal hadn't taken arguments from their leader though which quite frankly showed him to either be extremely brave or extremely stupid. 

Not long after Carson had begun to stitch the Savior leader's injuries up – a missing nipple being chiefly amongst them – Simon entered through the squeaky door. Negan only looked up when let out a hiss of sympathy.

“Shit!”

“I know, I'm missing a fucking nipple. It's currently in Baxter's fucking colon.” Negan glared at the doctor when he pulled a little too tightly on the stitches before turning his attention back to his second-in-command. “Now, where is my fucking wife?!” 

Simon seemed confused. “She's not with you? Lee went to get you, I was there to distract them.”

Negan sighed as he thought of Lee's blood, it was soaked into his shirt along with his own. 

“I shot her. She must have past out.” 

Simon's brow furrowed. “You shot her?”

“I didn't do it on fucking purpose! Just fucking find my wife, if something happens to her I'll rip your head off.”

Simon nodded. “I'll have Regina and Dwight sent out to search the convent.”

Negan raised an eyebrow as Doc Carson trimmed the edges of Negan's stitches and started to bandage him up. 

“Convent?”

“That place is huge, it's more the size of a convent.” Simon told the boss rather nonchalantly.

Negan shook his head as if throwing the comment away and turned his attention back to his missing wife. 

“We move out as soon as I'm sewn up. She's bleeding out and I will _not_ let those fuckers cut my goddamn Queen up and eat her as fucking dinner!” 

Simon looked hesitant. “Negan, can you even walk?”

Negan growled. “For my fucking wife I can do any-fucking-thing. Now get out and make sure they look for her! I want them covering the place, we'll join them in a short while.” 

He hated to backpeddle but Simon made a good point, he couldn't walk properly. 

Simon turned to leave but paused with his hand on the door-handle and turned back to face the bearded man.

“What do you want me to do with the Russian?” A split pause. “Is he really Lee's brother?”

Negan nodded slightly as Doctor Carson pushed himself away from the Savior and let him carefully pull on the clean t-shirt Hal had brought him. 

“Yeah, he is. Have him patched up if he needs it and get him drawing a fucking map of their place. It's a goddamn maze.”

“There's also a guy and a kid at the gate. Only reason the sharpshooters didn't shoot on sight was because of the kid. He has some story about you saying he's welcome here. Name's TC-”

Negan didn't need to hear more. “He's fine. Let 'em in and feed the kid.”

“Done.” Simon left then and Negan hissed when Carson started examining his knee. 

“Jesus Christ that hurts!” He growled.

Carson spoke cautiously. “I'm sorry, Sir, I'm trying to work quickly like you wanted. You're going to need a cane for a while.”

“The fuck I am.”

“It'll heal faster if you use one and sit down often. I'm sorry but that's the only way you can avoid serious damage. I'll have my brother search for a crutch for you, he's in the triage area the Queen set up. I'd still be with the other Saviors had the Queen not thought to bring my brother from Hilltop when she took over.” 

That got the bearded man's attention. “Yulia took over?”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, Sir. You're Lieutenants decided to follow the Queen rather than Simon.” 

Negan chuckled which caused him pain so he quickly grounded to a halt. 

“That's my girl, taking fucking over and getting shit done. How long after she gave orders did people roll out?”

“Almost immediately, Sir. If you mean to locate you though, about six hours. I wasn't privy to the full plan. All I know is that she gave operational control to Gavin under threat of death and Dwight was to deal with medical; he was actually quite good.” 

Negan was proud of his girl, with so many injured she's have had to pull people from other outposts and then arm them. Six hours was a pretty good response time. 

“Pass me that fucking radio.” Negan ordered and the doctor obeyed quickly. “Gavin, get on this fucking radio now.” 

There was a crackle. “ _Yeah, Negan?._” 

“Find Lucille, Yulia said Hal had her. Bring her to me and I want a fucking update on Sobaka.” 

“ _Sure, I'll get her. Connor brought the dog back about twenty minutes ago, said it wasn't as bad as it looked but the dog's out of commission for a while.”_

He'd hoped Sobaka would have been in fully working order, Negan expected he'd have wanted to take a bit out of Baxter. 

“ _No one told you?”_

“Shut the fuck up and get me Lucille!” 

With that Negan dropped his radio and stretched as best he could  what with the amount of gauze he had taped to him. 

“Doc, how long can someone survive after they've been shot in the lower gut?” Negan asked not wanting to know the answer but needing to. 

The grey haired man thought for a moment. “Depends. Did the bullet a through and through?”  Negan shook his head no. “Okay, and em, what calibre was the bullet?” 

“9mm.” 

The doctor wanted to shrug but he knew better. 

“It's hard to say then, Sir. Any number of organs could be damaged or she could be extremely lucky and the bullet has lodged somewhere out of the way. I can tell you this though, the longer she's left untreated the more danger she's in. Also, she'll more than likely need a transfusion and IV fluids. If it's worst case scenario then I'll need an endothelial tube and all my equipment will need to be s terilize .  She doesn't get treatment soon and she will bleed to death.” Negan paled. “You don't need to worry though, Sir.” 

“Oh yeah?” Negan clearly wasn't impressed. 

“I think the Queen has proven herself immortal.” 

That made the Savior leader chuckle and fuck did it hurt. 

Meanwhile Simon made his way down the long expanses of grungy looking halls unit he found Regina sat with Dwight in the conference room as Negan called it. He crashed down into his usual seat and let his head fall back. 

“You okay, Simon?” Dwight asked cautiously.

“Yeah, fine. Turns out Lee's been shot and she's still at that bloody Church.”

“What the fuck?! I thought she came back with Negan.” 

Simon shook his head as Regina's brow furrowed deeply. “No... and Negan's worried. I need you two to go back to that place and scope it out. See if you can find her, maybe she got out. If not observe. Me and Negan will meet you in a short while.” 

“Bet you're fucking enjoying this, aren't you, asshole? Lee never should have let you out of your fucking room.”

“Shut the fuck up, Regina. Shot, remember? The longer you yell at me the more chance of her being dead. Dwight, take her, would ya?”

Dwight nodded and rose to his feet. “Come on, Regina. Simon's right.”

Only a little reluctantly did Regina leave glaring daggers at Simon for following Dwight out the room. Simon breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed and let his head fall back once again. Had Regina asked him two days ago if he'd wanted Lee gone the honest answer would have been yes but then he'd called her into his room to speak to her and had learnt she wasn't the authoritative bitch he'd assumed. 

 

-

_ Simon paced back and forth in his room. How fucking dare she take over The Sanctuary! How fucking dare she! He was Negan's second, he was the one who was to run the place in Negan's absence, he was the one who'd fought by the bearded man's side for years.  _

_ Suddenly the door opened and Simon ground to a halt as the Russian entered with a polite smile to Arat who guarded the door. Once it was closed the pair just stood there looking at one another waiting for someone to speak. Simon found he eventually just fell into one of the chairs at his table and stared at her; she was beautiful, he could see why Negan had gone for her.  _

“ _You asked to see me.” She said in that bold accent of hers._

_Simon nodded. “Yeah, I did. I'd ask what gave you any right to take over but you'd just tell me you're the Queen, wouldn't ya?”_

“ _Well, I am.”_

“ _I don't give a shit. And as much as I fucking hate to admit it, you were right to. I fucked up, didn't I? This is my fucking fault. I pulled my men away.”_

“ _You've calmed down, lovely. I'd wondered if you would try and corner the market on being pissed off.” _

_Lee sighed and sat herself in the chair opposite the older man, it was then he noticed she had Lucille as she rested her against the table leg._

“ _Babysitting?” He asked and Lee actually smiled._

“ _Negan doesn't like her being unattended.” A pause. “And I might have over-reached earlier. You were right to pull your team out, there wasn't any cover and... you couldn't have kept them safe if you had. I think this is all our faults.”_

_Simon sighed. “Why don't you like me?”_

“ _I told you before, it's not that I don't like you it's that I don't trust you.”_

“ _Yeah, yeah, I remember.”_

_ The moustached man looked away from Yulia and over at his bed as memories of old filled his mind. She just watched him quietly ever the observer.  _

“ _I was married once, you know.” He said almost absent-mindedly and Lee actually seemed interested which surprised him. _

“ _You were?”_

“ _Yeah. Beautiful as hell. Had this long blonde hair_ _that she used to wear up in two little bun things, looked like something out of one of those Japanese cartoons.”_

“ _Anime.” She supplied helpfully and Simon finally looked over at her._

“ _That's it. You kind of remind me of her in a way.” Lee's head cocked to the side in silent question. “She didn't trust me either. Negan told me she was crazy but I loved her so bloody much. Married her and then the real creep show started. She wouldn't let me leave the house for longer than five minutes before she called and asked what I was doing or who I was with, she'd go through my calls and texts and question me because I held a door for another woman while we were at the mall.”_

“ _What was her name?”_

“ _Adrianna.” He answered simply._

“ _Pretty name.”_

“ _That's what I thought. Eventually it went too far and I had no choice but to divorce her, she really was nuts. I stayed with Negan for a while and it worked okay since he was always at the school coaching.” _

“ _I don't understand why you're telling me all this, Simon.”_

_Simon took a calming breath. “I tried so many times to prove to Adrianna that I wasn't cheating on her or anything like what she thought but she never believed me. Nothing I ever did made her see the truth. I guess... if I prove myself to you will you accept it or will you be like her and say you do only to go back to checking my call logs?”_

_ Yulia smiled slightly. “The way I grew up you either trusted someone with your life or you kept them at arms length so you could use them when you needed to and then throw them back. In my world just about everyone was out to kill you. However, if someone proved themselves, proved themselves so as someone trusted them and not because they'd gotten someone to trust them-”  _

“ _Isn't that the same thing?” He questioned._

“нет, _it's not.” (no) Yulia pushed stray hair behind her ear. “If they wanted to be trusted and had earned it then we trusted the_ _m... but there were very few that ever did. You prove yourself to me and I will trust you, Simon. Show me y_ _ou're the Vader to his Palp_ _atine_ _.”_

_ T _ _ hat got a smirk out of the moustached man. _

“ _So who does that make you?” He asked with jest and Lee chuckled._

“ _Oh,_ _ I'm Han Solo. Cocky, travels around with a creature covered in fur and would rather shoot you than have an  _ _ in depth _ _ conversation.”  _

“ _Damn! Your Daddy raised a little lady that don't take shit from no one, didn't he, Sugar Puff?” He laughed. _

“ _What is it with the men in this place using food based pet names?” Yulia questioned herself but Simon seemed to ignore it. “My father had to, sometimes being strong is the only choice you have.”_

_ Simon stood up and went over to the little set of cabinets that served as a rather dreary looking kitchenette and pulled a bottle of wine out from one of them, he picked up two clean-ish glasses and returned to his seat where he poured.  _

“ _Have you ever been with a group or has it just been you since this shit started?” He pushed a glass towards her and Lee picked it up and took a swig._

_Lee shrugged. “I was with some people for a while in the beginning but it didn't last long.”_

“ _Why not?”_

_Lee sighed as Simon took a sip from his own glass. “Like a dolphin on strike it just wasn't clicking for me.”_

_Simon roared with laugher and nearly choked on his wine._

“ _You know, Negan is starting to rub off on you, you're even starting to talk like him. Quick wit and all that.” _

_Lee shrugged. “Eh, what you gonna do? Everyone has to have a sense of humour in the apocalypse. Although a couple of days ago he did make me laugh until I was blue in the tits.”_

_The two sipped the wine and laughed for a moment but it had started to sound forced... because it was._

“ _Seriously though, Simon, how you you expect to prove you're trustworthy?” _

“ _I think I have an idea on how to distract everyone long enough for you to get Negan. You're going to have to be dead though.” _


	27. The Death Of Chort And His Pet Cannibal

Lee's eyes flew open when someone slapped her awake hard only to find herself in a bloody and dank room. She could feel partially coagulated blood on the arm rests of the rickety chair she'd been tied to and a single lightbulb hung above her head. Pain was the next thing she noticed, harsh and agonising pain on the left side of her abdomen. A quick glance down confirmed Negan had actually shot her, it also explained why she was so cold...  _blood loss, wonderful._

The polo shirt clad asshole she'd learn was named Baxter stood before her with a sickening grin on his face and his hands on his hips. He was enjoying this that much was obvious. It hurt to keep her eyes open but Lee forced herself not to look away from Baxter. 

“Wakey-wakey, beautiful.” 

The balding man pressed on her bullet wound and she hissed in pain. Lee could feel how weak she'd grown, her extremities were almost ice cold and her head felt heavy. Yulia longed to just sleep but that really wasn't a good idea. 

“Back with us?” Baxter snickered. The Russian didn't speak, just forced her pain down and glared up at Baxter. “You're the chick with the dog, did I kill it?”

“Now, now, Baxter.” Came a voice from behind her just out of eyesight; it sounded cocky and superior.

A moment later a man around a decade older than Negan rounded the chair and smiled politely down at Lee. He came to a stop in front of the Russian looking all white and squeaky clean; little red flags popped up in Lee's mind. 

“Hello, we've not been formally introduced, I am Arthur Moran. You are? I refuse to call you Queen.”

The gray-haired man asked as though they'd just met in a café and she wasn't tied to a chair slowly bleeding to death. Lee wasn't going to play house or whatever the fuck this asshole wanted. She spat blood out onto his white jumper. 

“I'm the wife of the man whose going to kill you, cука!” (bitch) 

Moran glanced down at his stained shirt then straightened his glasses. That polite smile faltered for for a moment but Moran soon donned it again. 

“Wife is as feisty as the husband I see, you must make a very good couple.” He grabbed her chin then and forced it upwards so their eyes locked; his nails dug into her pale flesh. “Now, tell me your name. I had our medic treat you just enough to make the bleeding slowly and you do not want to see how much pain I can get into that time. Name?”

“... Yulia.” She answered eventually. “People call me Lee.” 

Moran straightened up and looked down at her with dark eyes behind his glasses.

“Such a horrid abbreviation for a name so lovely.” He cleared his throat. “Miss Yulia, I like that.” 

“She sounds like Boris.” Grumbled Baxter.

“Illya! His name is Illya you хуй!” (dick)

Moran nodded. “Illya, of course. I take it he's your brother. It's lovely to find lost family in this world.”

Lee didn't look overly impressed. “Why don't you climb down off your high horse, mудак. Negan is back at the head of The Sanctuary. He has Illya. You're entire organisation is up a certain creek.” She chuckled through her pain. “You lose. You're like me... waiting to die.” 

Pain roared through her then and was forced to hunch over the arm of the chair and spit up more crimson. Moran and Baxter didn't seem phased. 

“You're quite morbid, aren't you, Miss Yulia.”

“There are men on every entrance to the building,” Baxter informed “He's got getting in here. Not after what I did to him.”

Baxter brought his hand up then and licked the stain of Lee's blood from the tips of his fingers. Lee's pain had started to numb and that really wasn't a good sign. Yulia just smiled lamely.

“Arrogance will be your downfall. He was just angry before but now you have his wife and you're all going to die.” She looked at them in turn. “Пока, хуесо́с. Пока, пизда. Иди нахуй.” (Bye, cocksucker. Bye, cunt. Fuck you) 

“Please pick a language and stick to it.” Moran requested with that polite smile still on his irritating face. “We could speak French if you like.”

“... Don't know French.”

“Spanish?”

“нет. (no) How about Swedish or German?”

“Never learnt those.”

“Guess it's English and insulting Russian then, cволочь.” (Scum) 

“Anyone ever told you your language sounds like someone playing a record backwards?” Growled Baxter but he went mainly ignored for the time being.

Moran's eyes raked over the young Russian then pulled over a chair so he could sit facing her. The single lightbulb didn't do much to keep the shadows off his face.

“You know Mister Negan said something along the same lines when he was with us. I'm starting to think you two are all bark and no bite.” His eyes grew dark and hungry. “I've been wondering when to have you. I thought maybe once we were done with you but that would mean you were dead and I like to watch the tears fall. Then I thought as soon as you woke up but I can't risk breaking you at; Baxter wouldn't have any fun then.” A pause, long and heavy. “So, do you know what I'm going to do?” 

“Buy a blow up doll?”

Moran chuckled at her deadpan. “No. I'm going to wait until you're so weak all you can do is watch. We'll see how much of your blood I can get on me then.”

Baxter snickered and Lee suddenly wondered how anyone could think Negan was a monster. Negan was a saint compared to these cunts before her. 

“I find myself curious though.” Moran breathed softly. “How did a sweet little girl from Russia end up here, hardened and sarcastic with little more than her wit to protect her? Doesn't matter I suppose, I don't really care.” 

Lee shrugged; her fingers had started to go numb, if that was the blood loss or because her hands were bound she didn't know.

“... Shame, you already pulled up a chair.”

Baxter watched her intimidatingly, Yulia had all of Negans snark but in a much sexier packet, maybe he'd ask if he could have her once Moran was done with her. 

Lee had endured enough of whatever this conversation really was, she just wanted sleep no matter how bad an idea that was. Green eyes panned around the shadow filled room, it was large and the door was open over in the far right corner way behind Moran. Not much light came through the door but it was enough for her to spot quiet movement, as though something didn't want to be seen but Lee spotted the movements. 

“You know what, go ahead, tell me where you came from. I've always loved a good story.”

That drew Lee's attention back to Moran and away from the movement. She just stared at them a moment, first Baxter with his devilish glee and urge to cause pain and then Moran who played himself off as a nice person but was really a cannibal and a rapist.

“What is it with men and wanting to hear my life story?” She mumbled to herself remembering when Negan had asked more or less the same thing. Soon she conceded and spun a tale for them. Yulia took a breath. “Once upon a time – stories start like that right – a Russian man feel in love with an American woman. She wasn't anything special. She couldn't dance, could not sing, wasn't all that smart but she was beautiful and good so she was special to him. He didn't come across much goodness in his world, his world was darkness and crime. He took rather than gave and the woman became his light. As anyone would expect they got married and had children, four boys and a girl. That was where they started to differ, the man loved his children equally, saw potential in each of them. However, the woman wasn't like this, it may not have been through any fault of her own, perhaps this was just how her brain was wired but the eldest child was her favourite. Zhukov was her darling angel and when he died so did her heart. She lost the ability to love, to even care. And then a short time later she crushed the hearts of her next to eldest children, made them feel little more than trash, something to be ignored and disposed of when no longer useful. Hours later the woman hung herself, and crushed the hearts of the rest of her family. For the two elder children the damage had already been done, with a single sentence heir mother had knocked them out of the innocence of childhood and into the realism of adulthood. The man did his best to raise his remaining children, he raised them the only way he knew how, in his world of darkness and criminals. The eldest children, the brother and sister, adapted to his world and it made them feel safe and they grew up with a silent vow to keep their family protected. They couldn't though. The father died and then the world fell, brother ate brother and the eldest boy was forced to put them down. All this happened when the sister was not there, she neglected her promise and the only things she loved in the world died because of it.” Moran folded his arms so he could rest his head on them as she spoke and Lee's eyes flitted up to the movement again then back to the Gargoyle leader. “But then she met a man, a man in a leather jacket wheedling a baseball bat and she realised something. She realised he didn't belong to the old world just and never had just like her. They both belonged to the same darkness and they found safety with one another.” 

Arthur pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

“Thank you. I didn't expect you to actually tell me any of that and I expected even less for then to not be any sarcasm in there. You appear to distance yourself from your past though, it's a form of denial and it's not healthy.” 

“Said Chort and his pet cannibal.” 

“I'm afraid I don't know who that is but I guess it's supposed to be insulting. Why did you tell me all that?” Moran enquired like they were old friends having a chat and catching up. 

Yulia grinned. “Oh, I'm just keeping you distracted until my husband beats your head in.” 

Suddenly – before Moran's brows could furrow – Lucille came out of the darkness and smashed into the side of the Gargoyle leader's head and knocked him off the chair onto the cold hard floor. Baxter's eyes went wide just in time for Illya to appear behind Negan with his shotgun and fired at his chest sending Baxter to the ground. Illya's eyes were ire filled as he marched to stand over the wounded man and fired again. Silence dominated then as bold blood pooled around the cannibal's torso. 

Negan shoved Lucille into Moran's shoulder and forced him over onto his back, his eyeglasses still hung to his face but the glass was cracked and shattered after the force of Lucille. Blood dripped down his temple to further stain the white of his jumper; not that anyone cared in the slightest. Surprisingly Moran just chuckled. 

“Thought you said your wife would kill me. You people have no follow through.” Arthur taunted.

Negan smirked. “I never said which wife.” 

With that the Savior leader brought his beloved Lucille down over and over again until Moran's head wasn't even recognisable as having been a head. Illya and a partially unconscious Lee watched as blood splatter flew off in all directions. Only when gunfire sounded on the upper levels did Negan come back to reality and his face grew angry when an explosion boomed through the building. 

“Cестра!” (sister) Illya breathed and dropped to his knees to untie Lee as quickly as he was able. 

“Брат.” (brother) Her voice was quiet and fading; practical unconscious. 

The Russian man looked up to Negan who had dropped Lucille and ripped off his leather jacket so he could wrap it around his wife's shoulders in a practically feeble attempt to keep her warm. 

“Help me!” Illya ordered in his thick accent and Negan didn't need telling twice. 

Everything Doctor Carson had said, 'the longer she's untreated the more danger she's in'. It had hurt like hell to put any weight on his busted knee but he pushed it all away to help his brother-in-law – that would take some getting used to – to pull Lee out of the chair. Illya instantly shoved his shotgun into Negan's Lucille-less hand so he could pull his sister into his arms bridal style; Negan followed behind cursing his limp. 

Yulia was fairly certain she kept passing in and out of consciousness as her brother carried her through the chilled building. As her eyes fluttered, open, closed then open again and she spotted Regina when she was passed through a rather large hole in the walls to Hal only for Illya to immediately take her back into his arms. Lee could feel Illya's panicked heartbeat vibrate through his chest and into her own body as he ran. 

She very quickly found herself loaded into a large box truck with the help of Gavin who then clambered into the driver's seat while Negan set Lucille down in the back and very awkwardly knelt in beside her with poorly hidden terror in his eyes. 

“Doc, she dies and I'll chain you to the fence for the dead bastards!” Negan threatened. 

It was only then that she noticed both Doctor Carsons were there rigging her brother up to her brother with a mass of tubes; she felt the prick of a needle but her body had grown cold. 

“Yes, Sir. It looks like she's already had a level of medical attention.” Said the elder Carson brother. “She needs a lot of blood though.”

“Then shut the fuck up and start pumping it out of Illya!” Negan roared completely ignoring his own pain. 

With what little strength she had left Lee reached for his arm with a shaky hand, she knew her touch would sooth him and it did, Negan's body relaxed as best he could under the circumstances. A moment passed where fluttering eyes tried to focus on Negan's hazel ones and then Simon's voice crackled over the radio right as the engine burst to life and they took off like a bat out of hell. 

“ _Negan , the Gargoyles are pretty much dead or scattering. Illya was right, bombing the south side of the building was a good fucking idea. Kids and women are all out as far as we can tell. Want us to cut 'em loose or bring everyone back?” _

Negan didn't want to answer Simon, would have rather clung on to his wife until she was well enough to kick his ass and make him let go.

“Sanctuary!” Was the only Simon was granted before Negan tossed the radio down uncaring as to where it landed and went back to his darling wife. “Don't you dare fucking die!” He cupped Lee's cheeks. “I make the goddamn rules so don't you fucking die! 


	28. Bedside

Three days! Three fucking days Lee had been unconscious and Negan was at the end of his rope. Both of the Carson brothers had assured him that she had no internal bleeding which was a minor miracle; seemed the Queen had received medical attention to some extent. They'd said she'd wake up but Lee's eyes hadn't even fluttered once. 

Yulia's lips had been so blue when he'd found her. Negan had lost Lucille, he'd watched her die, he couldn't do it again. Couldn't be a widower twice. He'd been a terrible husband to Lucille but with Lee he'd tried so hard.  _So hard_ to do it right. Negan wouldn't have ever been a perfect husband – that was a pipe dream – but he'd tried so hard to be a good one. Negan couldn't lose her, not his darling Yulia. Lee understood him, she... he couldn't lose her. Negan wouldn't let her die even if he had to take Lucille to Hades face and drag his sweet котик (pussycat) back up to the land of the living all by himself. 

Yulia Stravinsky was a fighter, she wouldn't die! That was the thought he woke up to. Negan blinked a few quick times and looked up to see he'd fallen asleep at her beside, no real surprise there, he'd refused to leave her side save for a few minutes to give a speech to The Sanctuary and pee. 

She lay there in their bed, unconscious and bruised and pale. When his hazel eyes adjusted he spotted Illya in his peripheral vision as he entered the room. Negan said nothing, just watched as her brother sat down on the other side of with worry in his eyes. 

“Still not awake then.” He sighed in that thick accent of his.

Illya took his sister's hand in his own and clung to her. 

“No. I think she's doing it on purpose.”

The elder Russian twin breathed out a laugh and for a split second Negan thought his wife had woken up; Illya's laugh sounded so much like Lee's own. 

“Knowing my sister she may well be.” He leant down to press a kiss to Lee's forehead. “звезда моя.” 

Negan raised an eyebrow. “I've heard that first word before.” 

“It's my pet name for her  for Yulia. It means 'little star'. I call her that because of-” Negan cut her off. 

“Her tattoo. Your dad called her his little lion, right?”

Illya nodded. “I'd almost forgotten that.” He tucked a loose strand of raven hair behind her ear. “сестра.” (sister) 

Negan squeezed his wife's hand; he feared that if he let go of her she'd leave him. 

“Why did she call you a brat?”

Illya's brow furrowed. “Excuse me?” 

“ When I... shot her.” God, those words pained him. “Yulia said brat.” 

The Russian man thought for a moment and then it seemed to click into place for him.

“Ahh, Да,(yes) you mean 'Брат'. It is Russian word for brother.” 

Negan nodded to himself. “Huh, I should have guessed that.” 

There was a small pause before Illya spoke again, his voice softer than his accent seemed to allow. 

“You'd just shot your girlfriend, a little miscommunication is to be expected.” Negan shot him a look. “I wanted to kill you, don't get me wrong, but she got in the way. You were trying to protect her and she was protecting me.” 

“Guess you're the more level-headed twin.” Negan said to himself more than Illya. “And she's not my girlfriend, she's my wife.” 

Illya's eyes flashed up to Negan; the exact same color as his sister's. Negan lifted Lee's hand up so the Russian could see Lee's wedding ring.

“Asscher diamond, French cut, you have good taste, Negan.” A pause, hardly there. “You have no idea how expensive that ring would have been, do you?”

“I didn't, nah. It just seemed like the one she'd like. When she opened the fucking box though, there was this look in her yes for a moment and I knew. She sees jewellery and she gets this fucking critical eye thing going, don't think she even knows she does it.” 

“Sounds like my sister. And how the hell did you convince her to settle down. That's impressive.” Illya breathed out a laugh. “Frankly she's a bit of a slut, a блядь.” (whore) 

Had anyone other than Illya Stravinsky said that Negan would have killed them in a heartbeat, chopped them up into tiny  pieces and fed them to Sobaka. 

He squeezed her hand again and as strange as it seemed he could still feel his pinky finger  as though it were still there. Negan had lost track of the bandages Carson the elder had used on him  but it was nothing compared to the amount on his darling wife. 

“Guess that makes you my brother-in-law.” Illya's voice snapped Negan back to the world around him. “Welcome to family... not that there is much left.” 

Negan took a breath, his eyes didn't leave Lee. 

“She told me about what happened to your brothers and your Mom. That bitch messed my котик (pussycat) up.” 

Illya nodded in agreement. “Neither of us like to talk about our Mother.  I'm surprised she even told you about her, my sister hates her for everything she did from what she said to her middle name.” 

That earned a raised eyebrow from Negan; he still gripped Lee's hand tight. 

“Middle name?” 

Illya chuckled. “ Да,  (yes)  not surprised she didn't tell you that. She hates it, thinks it's stupid and frankly it is. She's Yulia Mariska  _ Promise  _ Stravinsky.” 

Negan's mouth fell open as he stared at the younger man. “Fucking seriously? Promise?” 

Illya nodded his head. “Unfortunately our parents made a deal to each choose a middle name for us. My mother chose Albert for me so – as you can imagine – we only ever let people find out about her Russian ones. I warn you though, if she finds out I told you we're dead men.” 

Negan turned all his attention back to his darling Yulia. Her chest rose and fell steadily but he longed to see her eyes open. 

“I'm her husband, I should know her middle goddamn names.” 

The Russian snorted. “She doesn't know your name, does she? Just Negan. My sister is your wife and yet she doesn't even know if Negan is your first name, surname or something you made up so you could be a mononym. You keep your name hidden and she does the same, so no, you don't have to know her middle names.” 

Negan couldn't even argue with Illya's assessment; he kept things from Yulia even without meaning to. 

They fell quiet for a time, both looked at the unconscious Russian woman before them. The color had started to return to her lips and her skin had warmed but Negan didn't know if that was because she was healing or if he'd been holing her hand so long she'd absorbed his heat.  Negan couldn't face losing another wife... especially by his own hand. Negan rose on numb legs – he'd got no idea how long he'd been in that one position – and straightened his white t-shirt. 

“я тебя люблю, котик.” (I love you, pussycat) He said softly. 

Illya seemed surprised. “You speak Russian?” 

Negan shook his head, eyes still on his wife. “ чуточку .”  (a little bit) He brushed a kiss against Lee's forehead. “I know a few words and a couple of sentences. Her fucking swearing could put me to shame.” 

Illya snorted. “She gets that from Papa.” A pause then, only brief. “While I remember, what are you planning on doing with Moran's men. You're calling them Gargoyle right?” 

Negan nodded. “The kids and women can stay. Everyone gets the choice, work for me or get the fuck out and go it alone.” 

“... and Moran's Lieutenants? It isn't just Baxter. There's Kenny, Ian and Lewis as well.” 

“Really.” He smirked. “Oh, I'm going to have some fucking fun with those pieces of shit.” Negan glanced down at his bandaged hand and felt the scratch of more under his t-shirt. “Baxter is going to regret ever being born though.” 

“I put a shotgun round into his chest and he's still not dead; that's just unsporting.” A pause lingered between them then though this one was more uncomfortable than the previous ones. “And me?” 

Negan's brow furrowed as he looked up at the Russian man. “You're my Queen's twin brother. Yulia vouched for you – saved your fucking life – I doubt you'd do anything to jeopardise The Sanctuary even if it's just for her.” 

“You're a violent су́кин сын (Son of a bitch) but if my little sister loves and trusts you enough to marry you then clearly you're a good leader and a better man than you appear.” 

There was a knock at the door then and both heads snapped up even though the sound hadn't been urgent. In an instant Negan's attention went back to his wife  as the door opened and Simon stepped inside. 

“How is she?” 

“Since when the fuck do you care?” Negan growled; he was more angry at himself than Simon. 

I t was Illya who answered. “My sister is still asleep but she's getting her color back.” 

“Good. That's good.” Simon cleared his throat. “Negan, some guy with a kid is here. He says you told him he was welcome.” 

“Blonde dude and a little girl?” Negan questioned and Simon nodded. “They're good. Let 'em in.” 

“That's TC and Noelle, has to be.” Said Illya suddenly and Negan glanced over to the Russian. 

“You know them?” 

Illya nodded, eyes full of concern. “He's my best friend.” 

It all clicked then for Negan. He'd seen Illya and a little girl when he'd passed them in the halls on his way to see Moran for the first time. Illya was the man Taron Charles had been telling him about in that dungeon.  _ Really should have seen that fucking coming.  _

“Take Illya with you and let them in, Simon. Make sure that little girl gets something to eat and have Doc Carson look them both over.” 

“You sure?” Simon asked as he glanced at Illya.

“Do as you're fucking told, Simon!” The Savior leader growled. “You're on ice remember and it's thin as shit Oh and have Hal send Sobaka up, she'd want him here."  

Simon fell very quiet at that, he just nodded and gestured for Illya to follow him. The Queen's twin took a few steps before he stopped and looked back to Negan. 

“Please tell me if she wakes up.” 

Negan nodded rather than spoke and the sound of the door closing signalled that he and Yulia were alone. For a second he wished he were in a Disney movie so he could just kiss her and wake her from her slumber but no, real life did everything the long and painful way. 

The bearded man smelt, not just of sweat and dirt but of blood, his own, Moran's and more importantly his beloved wife's. He didn't want to leave her side for a single second but he really needed to change and clean up. Reluctantly he went to the bathroom and stopped off his clothes then turned on the shower and stepped under the spray; he left the door open so he could hear if Lee woke up. God he hoped she woke up soon. 


	29. Worries And Concerns

When Simon and Illya made it down to the front gate the sound of the deadites on the gate as they hissed and growled but it was drowned out a moment later when TC's beautiful little girl saw the Russian and charged past the Savior guards and bounced into his arms. 

“Uncle Illya!” 

“Hey, зайчик.” (bunny) He said in that smooth Russian accent of his. “And what's the word you really use?”

Noelle thought for but a second. “дяденька.” (Uncle)

“Oчень хорошо, зайчик.” (Very good, bunny) Illya commended. 

The guards all looked to Simon awaiting orders before they'd even let Taron Charles think about moving an inch; trust no one were words they lived by. Simon almost bounced down the cement steps as he headed towards TC with Illya hot on his heels. When Lee had first shown up he'd thought the girl would be the downfall of Negan and The Sanctuary but he'd been wrong, Simon had hated her at first but now he saw how much of an asset she was to them; that and she'd not been so quick to take his head off as Negan would have been. 

“They're good. Negan cleared. Dude and his kid are friend not foe.” 

The guards let the blonde newcomer pass and he quickly slipped past them to his best friend and child. The look of relief that crossed TC's face was second to none, his baby girl was safe and Illya was right there. 

“Where have you been?” Illya asked his friend as the door he and Simon had just come through opened and closed for Hal. 

“Me and Rabbit went to the cache, you know the one Moran had us hide a month or so ago?” The taller man nodded to his friend. “Thought it would be a nice thank you present for Negan and his wife. Think he'll approve?” 

It was Hal who answered which drew all eyes to the broad Secondary Lieutenant in his blue open shirt over a wife beater. Illya's green eyes did a quick up and down of the man.

“Oh, he will. We're a little low on Meds.”

TC nodded. “Good job I went then. There were a boat load of the things in that cache.” 

Hal held out a large hand and the blonde took it as the silent order to hand the gear over that it was. In one smooth motion TC slipped the over-stuffed rucksack off his shoulders and tossed it to Hal. The older man looked inside while Simon peered over his shoulder, inside the bag they found the aforementioned boat load of meds and a shit ton of ammo; o _h yeah, new guy done good._

“What you doing out here anyway, Hal?” Simon asked when Hal zipped the bag back up and threw it over his shoulder.

The Secondary Lieutenant shrugged a little. “Just helping. Keeping an eye out.” He said but clearly meant 'keeping an eye on you'. “Negan wants them given a room.” 

Simon grumbled but he knew better than to argue. Hal was Yulia's most trusted second and Negan had made him her bodyguard which meant Negan trusted him as well; Simon was smart enough to know not to cause a fuss around this man. 

“Where is Negan?” 

TC's question drew everyone's attention away from the awkwardness of the situation. Illya shuffled Noelle in his arms. 

“He's with my sister, TC.”

TC's head snapped to his friend so fast he almost caused whiplash. “Sister? You found Yulia?” 

Illya nodded. “She's Negan's Queen. I always knew my little sister would do well for herself.” 

Taron Charles looked off down at the ground as the sun beat down on all of them. Simon just stood there looking a little impatient while Hal appeared to be learning all he could about they two new men. 

“She's the one who let us out. Negan's wife got me and him out of that place. That was your sister?” TC paused a moment. “He called her Lee, of course she's your bloody sister.” He breathed out a laugh. “You did always say she's just show up out of nowhere one day and cause as much damage as she could.”

Simon huffed as hands went to rest on his hips. “As lovely as this touching reunion is it's hot as shit out here and we should go inside.

“Yeah,” Hal nodded “have them put through intake and fed. I'll take these to Carson.” He looked to the blonde. “TC was it?”

The blonde nodded. “That's me.”

Without another word everyone headed inside as Simon had wanted and all branched off in different directions. Illya followed Hal while TC and Noelle went with the moustached man; Noelle hadn't wanted Illya to set her down but the lure of food had eventually made her agree. As soon as Simon was out of sight the Russian rounded the ever so slightly taller Lieutenant forcing him to a stop; Illya had a grin on his face. 

“You're a dominant bear, aren't you, big boy.” It really wasn't a question. “I like it.”

The Russian winked at the muscular man cheekily then simply left him stood in the grey hallway in favour of going back to his sister upstairs. 

A little over an hour after they'd arrived and Taron Charles and his daughter had finished intake after a medical exam; then they'd gotten something to eat. Simon had apparently grown bored on the way up to their room because he'd grabbed a pretty young Cuban girl and told her to take the man and child the rest of the way. 

“You should expect some jealousy for a while.” Said the girl as they climbed stairs. “A room is usually reserved for Saviors and their families or those with the points for one, they don't grow on trees. You must have done something important for Negan to give you one without points.” 

“We were at The Church together.” Was all TC said on that particular subject before he cleared his throat and asked something else. “I'm Taron Charles but everyone calls me TC, this is my daughter, Noelle. Say hello for me, Rabbit.” 

“... Hello.” Whispered the young girl. 

The Cuban girl flashed a smile over her shoulder. “I'm Jessi. Jessi Perez.”

“Nice to meet you, Jessi. And I think me and my girl are counting ourselves very lucky.”

Videl's baby sister stopped at a door then and spun around to face the father and daughter. 

“This is your room. You ate right?” TC nodded. “Good. Me and my brother are actually just at the end of the hall, the door has this orange spray paint mark on it. Just let me know if I can do anything to help, even if it's just babysit. Schneider has been training me so I'm off general work but not a Savior yet so I've got a lot of free time.” 

“Thank you, that's very kind.”

“I've been helping Victoria too, she's the school teacher around her.” Jessi bent a little to look at Noelle who gripped her father's hand tightly. “Would you like to maybe go to school? There will be other kids for you to play with.” She promised.

“Yes!” The young girl beamed. 

TC chuckled as Jessi straightened up. “The authority has spoken.”

“I'll let you two settle in. Maybe in a few days I'll show you down to the classroom.”

“Great.”

A real education for his child was something TC didn't think would ever happen but there it was being offered up with a smile;  _this place really lives up to its name._

The Cuban girl headed off down the hall again while Noelle and her father went into their room to start a better life. One thing was for sure, after all that had happened in the last few days Noelle needed some real sleep.

 

~X~

 

Hal made his way into the small room off the large garage that he and his fellow Secondary Lieutenants had commandeered as their own private rec room and slumped down into a tattered armchair. The room wasn't very big – certainly no bigger than a stereotypical motel room – but who cared when they had a pool table in there. Dwight had tried to shut it down at first complaining that The Sanctuary wasn't even their outpost but they were Lee's men so Negan let it slide; wasn't like the room had been being used for anything else anyway. 

Koby slouched in the other armchair with a book while Connor lounged on the leather couch opposite them as though trying to sleep. Evan – who'd become known as the 'weird' one of their little group – sat Indian style on the floor by the less than impressive coffee table cleaning his gun. 

“Boss woken up yet?” Connor asked without opening his eyes.

Hal sighed. “Nah, she's still out and Negan's getting tetchy.” 

Koby looked away from his book for a moment; it was worn and slightly stained by what appeared to be coffee. 

“She will, you know what the boss is like. It'll take more than one cannibalistic asshole to put her down.”

“Wasn't Moran who shot her though.” Evan pointed out. “It was Negan and if she does die he'll never forgive himself. That and I don't think her brother would just sit around and let that go.” 

Evan was right of course, Hal had only met the dude twice but he'd already managed to assess just how much damage he could do when angry. As far as the Southerner could tell the only difference between Illya and Yulia was that the elder was a boy and the younger a girl. They'd seen what Lee was capable of... Illya Stravinsky would be no different. 

“Both of the Docs did everything they could. She'll be fine.” Connor pushed himself up then nap seemingly forgotten. “But... if the boss does die... what-”

Hal cut him off. “Happens to us? We're fucked. Well, I'm fucked, I was supposed to protect her and I didn't. You'll all get funnelled back to where you were and I'll get dead.” 

Koby shook his head. “Mate, that won't happen. Evan and Connor had those fucking shirts on before, but Lee took them out of that because of their skill, they're Saviors now.” He cleared his throat while Hal watched him looking rather unimpressed. “You're Lee's favourite. She tries not to play that card but you are and if Negan even has a shred of respect for his wife he won't lay a fucking finger _or_ a bat on you.”

It was true, at the start Yulia had thought Evan would be her favourite of her little band of riff-raff but no, Hal had become her most trusted and yes favourite. The group of Mini-Lieutenants as Lee occasionally called them didn't know why she had been drawn to Hal but they could guess. Evan and Connor assumed Hal reminded her of her father but no, that was wrong. Koby thought maybe he made Lee feel safe and frankly he was half the way there. Hal though, he'd figured it out almost the second he met Illya Stravinsky. Lee favoured Hal because he reminded her of her brother, no they didn't look or sound anything alike, they weren't even close in age but shared many of the same expressions and had the same sense of humour. Lee was a strong and powerful woman but deep down all she'd really wanted was her brother. 

It was Evan who settled the tension. “We're all getting ahead of ourselves. Boss is going to be fine so how about we stop acting like she's already in the ground, hmm? Negan had Sobaka sent up right?” There was a round of nods. “Then he's expecting her to wake up and knows the first thing she'll do is worry about that damn dog.” 

“She does love the pup.” Added Connor as he relaxed back against the couch.

“Of course she does, the Boss has a soft spot for lost causes, that's how you and Even got here.”

Hal snorted at Koby's attempt to lift the depressing atmosphere. Lee would be fine, of that he was certain... or at least he was telling himself he was certain. 


End file.
